Rajiv Gauba takes over as Secretary in Urban Development Ministry

Rajiv Gauba, IAS (Jharkhand cadre-1982 batch) today took over as Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of Urban Development. Gauba has wide-ranging experience in senior positions at policy making and programme implementation in the Central and State Governments and in international organisations. Hailing from Punjab, the 1959 born Shri Gauba is a physics graduate from Patna University. He was Chief Secretary, Jharkhand for 15 months before joining the central government today. Earlier, Shri Gauba served in the central government in the Ministries of Home, Defence, Finance, Environment and Forests and Department of Electronics and Information Technology in senior positions. Gauba also served in the International Monetary Fund representing the Country for four years on the Board of IMF. He was Collector and District Magistrate for 7 years in the districts of Gaya, Nalanda and Muzaffarpur. In a meeting with senior officials of the Ministry of Urban Development soon after assuming charge this morning, Gauba said; “With the launch of new urban development initiatives like the Smart City Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, Heritage City Development Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission, the focus of the Ministry now shifts to effective and timely implementation of the schemes by the States and Urban Local Bodies through effective coordination with them. The Government is attaching priority for urban agenda and best efforts need to be made for successful implementation of the new initiatives.” Gauba joined the Ministry of Urban Development on superannuation of Madhusudhan Prasad on March 31, 2016.