New Delhi, August 22, 2026: Senior IAS officer Vikram Dev Dutt has been assigned the additional responsibility of Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, following approval from the Competent Authority.

A 1993-batch AGMUT cadre officer, Dutt is currently serving as Secretary, Ministry of Coal. He will take over the additional charge of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry from August 23 to August 29, 2026.

The arrangement has been made for the period during which Neeraj Mittal, IAS (1992 batch, Tamil Nadu cadre), the incumbent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, will remain on leave.

Dutt will continue to discharge his existing responsibilities in the Ministry of Coal while overseeing the affairs of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry during the specified period.

The temporary additional charge is aimed at ensuring uninterrupted administrative functioning of the ministry and continuity in decision-making during the absence of the incumbent Secretary.