Former drinking water and sanitation secretary Parameswaran Iyer, who spearheaded the Swachh Bharat Mission, was on Friday appointed as the CEO of Niti Aayog, according to a government order. He will replace Amitabh Kant, who will leave office on June 30. Iyer has been appointed for two years or until further orders, whichever is earlier, the personnel ministry order stated.

According to the order, Iyer’s appointment has been made on the same terms and conditions as were applicable for Kant. A 1981-batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, Iyer is a well-known sanitation specialist, and best known for spearheading Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s flagship scheme the Swachh Bharat Mission between 2016 and 2020.

He had taken voluntary retirement from the Indian Administrative Service in 2009. He had also worked as a senior rural water sanitation specialist at the United Nations. Iyer becomes the third CEO of the government’s think tank.

Analysts said water conservation and sanitation would gain importance in the coming years because of global warming and climate change. They also pointed out that water would be the cause of major conflict in the future. The apex policy-making institution of the government, which replaced the Planning Commission, saw the sudden departure of Rajiv Kumar who was its vice-chairman in April.

The government swiftly appointed Suman Bery, the director-general of the NCAER, as the next chief. Outgoing Niti Aayog CEO Kant played a key role in Niti Aayog’s policy making, with a focus on digital India, asset monetisation, disinvestment, aspirational districts programme production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme and electric vehicles, among others. He was appointed as the CEO of the Niti Aayog on February 17, 2016, for a fixed two-year term.

Kant was later given an extension till June 30, 2019. His term was further extended for two years till June 2021, and then another oneyear extension was given till June 30 this year. Meanwhile, the government has for a second time in as many years re-advertised the post of chairman of oil and gas regulator PNGRB, which has been lying vacant since December 2020. The oil ministry this week issued an advertisement inviting applications.