Pranab Mukherjee gets diplomat as joint secy

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has brought about a coup in North Block by bringing an Indian Foreign Service officer Venu Rajamoni as Joint Secretary to head multilateral institutions division.

Venu is to join the Ministry of Finance in the second week of October, where he will deal with the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, International Fund  for Agricultural Development, Asian Development Bank ,Global Environment Facility and the African Development Bank.

Prior to his current posting, Rajamoni was posted in Dubai. He was Private Secretary to Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha in the National Democratic Alliance regime and also worked with K Natwar Singh.

Prior to joining the IFS, Rajamoni was a journalist in Kerala.

Rajamoni presently works with the Energy Security division in the Ministry of External Affairs, which coordinates oil diplomacy, interacts with the nuclear suppliers, to help bridge the ccountry's energy needs.

The IAS lobby in the capital is annoyed with the posting of a diplomat to the Department of Economic affairs.