R S Pandey takes over as Petroleum Secretary

New Delhi, Aug 1 (UNI) Mr R S Pandey, an IAS cadre of 1972 batch (Nagaland), today assumed charge as new Petroleum Secretary here.

Mr Pandey, who was earlier Steel Secretary, called on Petroleum Minister Murli Deora and Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Dinsha Patel.

He took a meeting of the senior officers of the Ministry and was apprised about the latest issues and challenges in the sector in a presentation made on this occasion.

Mr Pandey called for drawing up action points for various critical and important issues facing the sector.

Speaking about his challenges in the oil and gas sector, he said doing a balancing job in a sector which affects lives of everyone and all sectors of economy was a great challenge in itself.

He also said accelerating domestic exploration and production efforts, ensuring supply of petroleum products along with ensuring health of oil PSUs and removing in-efficiencies would be amongst priority areas for him in the sector.

His key assignments included Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Additional Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, and Chief Secretary, Government of Nagaland.

He had also served as Joint Secretary in the Department of Education (Ministry of HRD), where his important assignments included in-charge of District Primary Education Programme(DPEP) and National Programme Director of Basic Education Programme.

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