Ashish Bahuguna, a 1978-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Rajasthan cadre, will take over from PK Basu as the next agriculture secretary, top official sources told FE.
Basu, who has had a successful two-year stint at Krishi Bhavan with the country?s grain production scaling fresh high each year, will retire on May 31.
Gokul Chandra Pati, a 1978-batch Odisha cadre IAS officer, is set to become the secretary in the department of animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries after Rudhra Gangadharan retires in June, said the sources.
At present, both Bahuguna and Pati are serving as special secretaries in the department of agriculture.
Sudhir Kumar, a 1978-batch UP cadre IAS, is widely believed to be a frontrunner to head the food department after BC Gupta retires on May 31, the sources added. Kumar has been with the ministry of women and child development since 2009.
