New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS): The government on Wednesday made 13 high-level bureaucratic changes, appointing Ajay Narayan Jha as Secretary, Department of Expenditure in the Finance Ministry and Injeti Srinivas as Secretary, Corporate Affairs Ministry.

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet also approved appointment of Health Secretary C. K. Mishra as Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and of Gopal Krishna as Secretary, Shipping Ministry.

An official release said Rahul Prasad Bhatnagar, a former Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary, has been appointed as Secretary, Department of Sports and Preeti Sudan as Health Secretary.

Ravi Kant been appointed Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution.

The release said that Jha, an IAS office of 1982 batch, who was Secretary, Environment Ministry, has been posted as Officer on Special Duty in the Department of Expenditure with immediate effect.

"The officer will assume charge of the post of Secretary, Department of Expenditure on superannuation of Ashok Lavasa," the release said.

Mishra, an IAS officer of 1983 batch, will replace Jha in the Environment Ministry.

The release said that Alok Shrivastava, an IAS officer from the 1984 batch, has been appointed Secretary, Department of Justice.

K.V. Eapen, also of the 1984 batch, has been appointed Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances and Pensions & Pensioners' Welfare.

Shakuntala Gamlin, also an officer of 1984 batch, has been appointed as Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.

Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Special Secretary, AYUSH has been made Secretary, Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) on contract basis "for the remainder period of three years, reckoned from the date of his assumption of charge as Special Secretary, AYUSH".

Amita Prasad, an IAS officer of 1985 batch, has been posted as Additional Secretary, Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation.

"The earlier order appointing Shri V.K. Yadav, IRSEE (80) against this post stands cancelled and the officer is debarred for appointment to any post in the Central Staffing Scheme," it said.

Ram Mohan Mishra, an IAS officer of 1987 batch, has been appointed as Additional Secretary & Development Commissioner, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.