Hasmukh Adhia named finance secretary

NEW DELHI: The appointments committee of the cabinet on Monday named revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia as the new finance secretary, said an official order. By convention, the senior most secretary in the finance ministry is designated as the finance secretary.

As the functional head of the revenue department, Adhia has been overseeing roll-out of the goods and services tax (GST) as well as direct tax reforms. The revenue department has been implementing a series of structural reforms in tax administration aimed at widening the tax net and integrating the cash- driven informal part of the economy into the formal one.

Prior to his appointment as the revenue secretary, Adhia served as secretary in the department of financial services in the finance ministry.

The finance secretary’s post fell vacant on the superannuation of Ashok Lavasa last month.

Adhia, a 1981 batch IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer of Gujarat cadre, is also known for helping design social security schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Atal Pension Yojana as well as the microfinance scheme Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana.