The Union government has split the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs into two separate departments. One department will focus on Delhi while the other will oversee national urban schemes. The change was notified on Thursday.
The Cabinet Secretariat issued a gazette notification amending the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules 1961 to establish the Department of Capital Development and the Department of Urban Development.
Prior to this the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had operated without separate departments. The Department of Capital Development will handle matters related to Delhi while the Department of Urban Development will manage national programmes.
Late on Thursday the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet named Gujarat cadre IAS officer D Thara as Secretary of the Department of Capital Development. Jharkhand cadre IAS officer Satendra Singh was appointed Secretary of the Department of Urban Development.