Centre Effects Key Bureaucratic Shuffle: New Appointments for UIDAI, NDMA, and NIC

NEW DELHI — The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has cleared a series of high-level administrative appointments, restructuring leadership across several key central departments including Electronics, Home Affairs, and Consumer Affairs.

Major Leadership Changes

According to the official order released on May 6, 2026, by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the following IAS and IDAS officers have been assigned new responsibilities:

• Saurabh Vijay (IAS, MH:98): Appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). He will serve in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary to the Government of India.

• Priyank Bharti (IAS, PB:2001): Posted as Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY). Crucially, he will also hold the additional charge of Director General, National Informatics Centre (NIC).

• Manish Bhardwaj (IAS, GJ:97): Transitioning from his role at the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), he has been appointed as Adviser, Inter State Council Secretariat, Ministry of Home Affairs.

• Nilkanth S. Avhad (IAS, PB:99): Appointed as Secretary, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The post has been temporarily downgraded to the level of Additional Secretary for this tenure.

• Richa Misra (IDAS:96): Assigned as Additional Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.

Executive Summary of Appointments

The order, signed by Secretary of the Appointments Committee Manisha Saxena, takes effect immediately. This reshuffle is seen as an effort to strengthen digital governance and inter-state coordination as the government enters the second quarter of the fiscal year.