16-06-2023 : The government of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has appointed Santosh D. Vaidya as the Principal Secretary of the Finance Department. This appointment relieves Chief Secretary Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta of the additional charge of the post. The order issued by the government states that Santosh D. Vaidya, an IAS officer belonging to the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territories) cadre of 1998, is now the Principal Secretary to the Government in the Finance Department, replacing Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, the Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of J&K.
Additionally, the order states that Santosh D. Vaidya will also hold the position of Chairman & Managing Director of the Jammu and Kashmir Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation Limited (JKIDFC), in addition to his own duties, until further orders are issued. This implies that he will have the responsibility of overseeing the financial affairs and development initiatives of the corporation.
The order further specifies that the files related to the Finance Department should continue to be submitted according to the Government Order No. 1026-JK(GAD) of 2020, which was issued on November 2, 2020. This ensures that the established procedures for submitting and handling files within the department remain unchanged.
In a separate order, the government has also nominated Santosh D. Vaidya as the Chairman of the Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh Finance Corporation (JKLFC) for a period of up to three years, or until further orders are given. This appointment indicates his responsibility for leading and overseeing the operations of the finance corporation, which likely involves managing financial resources and providing financial assistance or services to individuals or businesses in the region.
Overall, these appointments reflect the government’s decision to entrust Santosh D. Vaidya with key roles in the finance sector of Jammu and Kashmir. As the Principal Secretary of the Finance Department and the Chairman of two significant finance corporations, Vaidya will play a crucial role in shaping and implementing financial policies and initiatives, supporting economic development, and managing financial resources in the region.