New Delhi, Ju 23 (IANS): The government on Monday cleared a total of 33 new Joint Secretary-level appointments including of 1992-batch IAS officer Pankaj Agarwal as Joint Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat for a tenure of five years.

In an order, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet said that it has appointed Shomita Biswas, a 1988-batch IFoS officer as Joint Secretary in the Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, for a combined tenure of seven years or until further orders vice Alka Bhargava, a 1987-batch IFos officer.

The ACC also appointed Shubha Thakur as Joint Secretary, Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare for an overall tenure of five years or until further orders vice Dinesh Kumar, a 1996-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre.

The ACC appointed Rajesh Agarwal, a 1994-batch IAS officer as the Executive Director of the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) under the Department of Commerce for the combined tenure of seven years vice Deepak Kumar, a 1990-batch IAS officier.

The government also cleared the appointment of Puja Singh Mandol, a 1995-batch Indian Audit and Accounts Service officer as Joint Director Deneral, Directorate of General of Civil Aviation under the Civil Avaiation ministry for a tenure of five years or until furhter orders vice Shubha Thakur.

Besides Mandol, the government also cleared the appointment of Angshumali Rastogi, a 1995-batch Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME) officer as the Joint Secretary in the Civil Aviation Ministry for an overall tenure of five years vice Aparna S. Sharma.

Suman Sharma, a 1990 batch IRS officer was appointed as Additional DGFT, (Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the Department of Commerce) for a tenure of five years until further orders vice Vasundhara Sinha, a 1988-batch IRS officer.