New Delhi, Jun 16 (IANS): IAS officer Chanchal Kumar, currently the Managing Director of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd, has been appointed as the new Civil Aviation Secretary.

According to an order passed late on Tuesday, he will initially serve as the Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, holding the rank and pay equivalent to the Secretary to the government of India, starting from August 1.

Upon the retirement of incumbent Rajiv Bansal on August 31, Chanchal Kumar will take over as Secretary.

This appointment is among of 15 senior bureaucrats in various Ccentral government departments.

Bansal, then CMD of Air India, had become Civil Aviation in 2021. He had been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of Air India for the second time in 2020.

His appointment closely followed the government's announcement of a complete stake sale of Air India, which was grappling with significant debt.