The wait for the post of IRDAI chairman’s post is finally over. After much suspense since two and half month, Subhash Chandra Khuntia, a 1981-batch IAS officer who was also a former Karnataka Chief Secretary, has been appointed as Chairman of IRDAI.
The appointment of a bureaucrat was on expected lines as government wanted to push hard its Insurance reform agenda. The government had recently announced Ayushman Bharat – National Health Protection Mission in the budget to provide coverage of Rs. 5 lakhs medical insurance to poor people. Also earlier it had launched National crop scheme, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana etc
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved Khuntia’s appointment for a period of three years. The post was vacant for more than two months after TS Vijayan’s tenure came to an end on February 21.
“ACC has approved the appointment for a period of three years, the date of assumption of charge, or till the age of 65 years, or until further orders, whichever is the earliest,” a release on the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) website stated.
Born on November 21, 1957, the Karnataka-cadre IAS officer is a native of Jagatshingpur, Odisha. He has also served in various government departments including as Secretary at the Department of School Education & Literacy, Special Secretary and Financial Advisor in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and held positions in Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).
He has a range of educational qualifications including LLB, MA (Sociology), MSc (Phyiscs) M.Tech (Comp. Sc.), Ph.D. (Economics), M.A (Economics), M.A (Political.Science) M.A (Philosophy).
He had taken over as Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka in October 2016 and held the position till last year.
Link to a speech of Mr Khuntia in a seminar
