Former NCST secy is new chief secretary of Jharkhand

Former Secretary to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) Alka Tiwari is the new Chief Secretary of Jharkhand. The 1988-batch soft-spoken IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre, she is currently serving as a member of the Revenue Board in the State after returning from her Central deputation. A notification for her appointment was issued after the approval of the Election Commission of India, which denied an extension to L Khiangte who retired on October 31. Alka's husband DK Tiwari, a 1986-batch IAS officer (retd), too had served as the State Chief Secretary, a unique distinction for the IAS couple. He is now the State Election Officer. Alka served as Deputy Commissioner in Gumla and Lohardaga districts and as Secretary in the departments of Commercial Taxes and the Forest and Environment. She was an Advisor in NITI Aayog and Additional Secretary in the department of Fertilizers, Chemicals, and Pharmaceuticals. She developed strategy documents for reforms in India’s higher education regulatory framework for developing world-class institutions of teaching and research. As CMD of the fertilizer company FAGMIL, she reversed its decline in the gypsum trade and converted it into a profit-making firm. She engaged with Qatar, Iran, and Russia to ensure adequate availability of urea and safeguard the revenue interest of the country.