Sushma Nath is new Finance Secretary, gets 2-month extension

New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) With barely a month to go forBudget 2011-12, the government today appointed Sushma Nath asthe new Finance Secretary and gave her an extension for twomonths till May 31 this year.

Nath, now the Expenditure Secretary, succeeds AshokChawla who retired on January 31. She will continue to holdthe charge of Expenditure Secretary as well.

Nath was to retire on March 31 this year.

An official statement said the appointment was approvedby the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

Nath, the senior most official in the finance ministry,has been working as Secretary in the Expenditure Departmentsince April 2008.

Meanwhile, R Gopalan, who has been appointed asSecretary, Department of Economic Affairs, will hold chargetill April 30 this year, the statement added.

Chawla was also Secretary in Department of EconomicAffairs.

Both Nath and Gopalan are expected to be the mainarchitects of the Budget which will be presented by FinanceMinister Pranab Mukherjee on February 28.

The Finance Ministry is in the process of firming up theproposals for the 2011-12 Budget.