New Delhi : The Ministry of Railways has approved the deputation of Vinod Kumar, a senior officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME), to the Department of Defence as Joint Secretary.
The appointment was formalized through an order issued by the Railway Board following approval from the competent authority.
Five-Year Tenure at Senior Administrative Level
According to the official order, Vinod Kumar will serve in the role for a period of five years from the date he assumes charge, or until further instructions are issued, whichever comes earlier.
He will hold the position at Pay Level 14 of the Government of India’s pay matrix, which corresponds to senior leadership roles within the central administration.
Currently, he serves as Executive Director (Mechanical Engineering – Production Units & Workshops) at the Railway Board, where he has been involved in overseeing critical mechanical operations and infrastructure within Indian Railways.
Transition to New Role
The Ministry of Railways has directed that the officer be formally relieved from his present responsibilities to take up the new assignment. The exact date of his release will be communicated separately.
The deputation order was signed by Ravi Shekhar, Joint Secretary (Deputation) at the Railway Board.
Enhancing Cross-Ministry Expertise
The move reflects the government’s ongoing approach to strengthening inter-ministerial coordination by placing experienced officers in key policy and administrative roles across departments.
Copies of the order have also been forwarded to the Department of Personnel and Training and other senior officials for necessary follow-up action.
With his extensive background in mechanical engineering and railway operations, Vinod Kumar is expected to contribute significantly to policy formulation, coordination, and administrative functions within the defence sector.
Strategic Significance
Such deputations play a critical role in integrating technical expertise into governance, particularly in sectors like defence where engineering knowledge, logistics, and large-scale infrastructure management are essential.
The appointment underscores the importance of leveraging domain expertise from organizations like Indian Railways to support broader national priorities in defence administration and strategic planning.