The race for the home secretary’s post is on, with home minister P. Chidambaram holding meetings with at least two contenders for the post which is expected to fall vacant on June 30. Though speculation is rife that present incumbent home secretary G.K. Pillai may get an extension of his term for two months, Mr Chidambaram has
interviewed two potential candidates for the prime post — Punjab chief secretary S.C. Agrawal and defence production secretary R.K. Singh.
The two senior IAS officials met the home minister separately for the interview to the top bureaucratic post in the ministry of home affairs. Sources said the home minister would like to personally choose the officer for the key post. However, a final clearance for the home secretary’s appointment is given by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The incumbent home secretary is due to retire on June 30 after serving two years.
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Pillai reviews airport and airspace security
AGE CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI
June 15: The government on Wednesday reviewed the security arrangements at the airports and various aerospace and nuclear installations guarded by the CISF. Home secretary G.K. Pillai held a meeting with senior officers of the paramilitary force to review its preparedness to deal with emergent situations and various kinds of threats.
The meeting, which was part of a quarterly review, took place at the force’s headquarters here.