Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 31: In a significant administrative reshuffle, the Centre has appointed Vir Vikram Yadav as the new Director General of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), replacing Faiz Ahmed Kidwai.
Yadav, currently serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, takes charge at a crucial time when India’s aviation sector is witnessing rapid growth in passenger traffic, fleet expansion, and infrastructure development.
His role will be pivotal in strengthening regulatory oversight and ensuring safety compliance across the industry.
Meanwhile, Kidwai has been reassigned as additional secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). He had assumed office as DGCA chief in January 2025 and served for just over a year.
The reshuffle comes as the DGCA continues to closely monitor airline operations, safety standards, airport infrastructure, and regulatory compliance amid expanding domestic and international air travel.
Alongside this key appointment, the government announced several other senior-level postings:
• Puneet Kansal has been appointed Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
• Mona K. Khandar will serve as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• Gyanendra D. Tripathi has been named Additional Secretary in the Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Secretary of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
• Vishal Gagan has been appointed Secretary of the Central Information Commission at the rank of Additional Secretary.
• N. Gulzar will serve as Member Secretary of the National Capital Region Planning Board.
• Diwakar Nath Misra has been appointed Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Power.
• Debasish Prusty will take charge as Additional Secretary in the Department of Financial Services under the Ministry of Finance.
• Sridhar Chiruvolu has been elevated as Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office.
The wide-ranging reshuffle reflects the government’s effort to strengthen administrative leadership across key sectors at a time of rapid economic and infrastructural growth.