New Delhi: Petroleum Secretary Saurabh Chandra may be the next Cabinet Secretary, replacing incumbent Ajit Seth who retires next month.
Chandra is a 1978 batch officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre and previously was Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion before coming to the Oil Ministry in March.
Sources said the Narendra Modi government was considering names of P K Sinha, a 1977-batch officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre, who is the Union power secretary, and Chandra for the top job.
Chandra seems to have stolen a march ahead of Sinha, they said.
Going strictly by seniority, Sutanu Behuria, Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS of 1976 batch and current secretary of heavy industries department, is the senior most but he is believed to be not under consideration.
Behuria, originally hailing from Odisha, retires on July 31, 2014.
