Goal of 5 trillion economy will not be achieved unless power sector performs, says SC Garg

After assuming charge as Secretary, Ministry of Power, Subhash Chandra Garg has said that the goal of 5 trillion economy will not be achieved unless power sector performs, adding "So his focus will be on improving efficiency, bringing down costs and improving the health of power sector." 

Speaking to the media after assuming charge as Power Secretary, Garg said that his decision to apply for VRS has nothing to do with his appointment as Power Secretary as he had already discussed the same with higher authorities on 18th July, 2019. 

Subhash Chandra Garg, who is a Rajasthan cadre IAS officer of 1983 batch, prior to joining the Power ministry, was serving as the Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance. 

A day after being transferred to the Ministry of Power in a bureaucratic reshuffle, Garg was reported to have sought voluntary retirement from government service. According to rules, Garg will have to serve a notice period up to three months or until his application for voluntary retirement is accepted.

Earlier on Wednesday, Atanu Chakraborty, a 1985-batch Gujarat-cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, was named Garg`s replacement. The government reshuffled top bureaucrats across 12 ministries, departments and agencies. The reshuffle came less than three weeks after the Union Budget was presented in the Lok Sabha and a day after it was passed by Parliament.

Subhash Chandra Garg has reportedly played a crucial role in the maiden budget of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Garg was the most senior bureaucrat in the finance ministry. He was also on the six-member panel deciding on the transfer of "excess reserves" from the Reserve Bank of India, or central bank.