New Delhi, Jul 26 (IANS): Former Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg, who on Friday took over as the Power Secretary, has said his decision seeking voluntary retirement has no connection with his recent transfer to the Power Ministry, and that he had conveyed his decision to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on July 18, much before the announcent of his transfer.

He, however, said a formal application to the PMO was sent on July 24.

Describing the power ministry as an "extremely important infrastrucuture ministry", he appreciated the government's decision of shifting him to the department as "great".

In a major bureaucratic reshuffle, the government on Wednesday appointed Garg as the Power Secretary, among other appointments.

The transfer to the Power Ministry is seen as a demotion for Garg, as the designation of Finance Secretary is one of the most coveted postions in bureaucratic circles and usually goes to the senior-most official in the ministry.

In the Wednesday order, with Garg on his way out of the Finance Ministry, Atanu Chakraborty, the former Secretary for the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), was named the Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs.