PMO work allocation of principal secretary, principal advisor and NSA issued

Days after PK Mishra and PK Sinha were appointed as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Principal Secretary and Principal Advisor respectively, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has defined the work areas for the two officers, and also for National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

According to the order issued by the PMO, Principal Secretary PK Mishra would be in charge of policy issues and matters relating to ministries of Personnel, Law, Appointments Committee of Cabinet and other appointments. He would also deal with issues related to the Cabinet Secretariat and take care of listing of items for the meeting of the Union Cabinet, the anti-corruption unit, the PMO’s establishment and all important policy issues and matters.

Principal Advisor PK Sinha would oversee policy issues and matters relating to all ministries/departments/agencies/bodies except those specifically allocated to the Principal Secretary and the NSA, the order issued on September 13 said.

Also read: Principal Secretary to PM turns down Modi’s request, wants to quit PMO

NSA Doval would take care of matters relating to national security and policy matters – except appointments. He would also oversee policy matters relating to ministries of External Affairs, Overseas Indians Affairs, Defence, Space, Atomic Energy and the country’s external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing.

He will also be in charge of all policies and matters relating to National Security Council Secretariat, the National Authority for Chemical Weapons and Talks with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) separatists.

Mishra was the Prime Minister’s additional principal secretary and was last week elevated as his Principal Secretary after Nripendra Misra stepped down. Sinha is a former Cabinet Secretary and was last month appointed as Officer on Special Duty in the PMO before being made Modi’s Principal Advisor.

Mishra and Doval hold the rank of a Cabinet minister.