New Delhi

May 13, 2004

R D PRADHAN LIKELY TO BE THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY
TO SONIA GANDHI

DELHI CHIEF SECRETARY TO BE NEW CABINET SECRETARY

R D Pradhan former Union Home Secretary is likely to be the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Sonia Gandhi. She wants the services of Pradhan as she knew his talents and skills.

Pradhan is 1954 IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre he was the architect of Assam accord a pet project of Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi unsed to have good words about Pradhan hence sonia gandhi wants him, according to a close source to ten janpath.

A women's empowerment will be in full play at the Centre with not only Sonia Gandhi becoming the Prime Minister but also having a lady officer to head the bureaucracy as the Union Cabinet Secretary.

The first thing that Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit did on Thursday was to recommend to Sonia Gandhi to make Shailaja Chandra, who is at present the Chief Secretary of Delhi, the Cabinet Secretary to succeed Kamal Pande due for retirement.

Shailaja, a 1966 batch IAS officer of the Union Territory who has worked in different capacities, has proved herself to be an efficient and able administrator and Sheila Dikshit owes her success to the clean administration provided by Shailaja.