Member's Profile

Shri B.K. Chaturvedi was appointed by the Union Government as Member, Planning Commission (June, 2007) and, subsequently, in addition to it, he was also appointed as Member, Thirteenth Finance Commission (November, 2007). He is currently working on both these assignments.

Starting his career in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1966, Shri Chaturvedi rose to the highest position in the Civil Service of the country when he was appointed Cabinet Secretary (June, 2004). He continued in that capacity for a period of three years. During this period, he advised the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on all major assignments in the Central Government, worked as Secretary to the Union Cabinet, advised the Prime Minister on all major policy issues and was Head of the National Crisis Management Committee.

Shri Chaturvedi’s experience is both rich, multifaceted and includes both Government and corporate world. He has been Secretary to the Government of India in several Ministries, including Finance, Human Resource Development (which includes Higher Education, Technical Education and Elementary Education) and Petroleum & Natural Gas for more than six years. The various assignments held by him in the Union Government include Chairman & Managing Director, State Trading Corporation of India and Executive Director, Trade Development Authority of India. He has been a member of the Boards of several Public Sector Undertakings, including MMTC Limited, Life Insurance Corporation of India, General Insurance Corporation of India and State Electricity Board of Uttar Pradesh. As Cabinet Secretary, he was also Member of the India’s Atomic Energy Commission and Space Commission.

Shri Chaturvedi had a major policy-making role in initiating and building economic reform measures in several sectors. These include opening up of the Insurance Sector by Government of India, approval of policy for setting up of the Insurance Regulator, the passage of IRDA legislation and handling of its impact on LIC, GIC and other State insurance companies. Other segment of reforms related to dismantling of the Administered Pricing Mechanism regime under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Power Sector reforms in Government of Uttar Pradesh.

His educational background is deeply embedded in Science. He holds a Masters Degree in Physics from Allahabad University, with specialization in Electronics. He started his career as an Associate Professor of Physics (1962-65) at the Motilal Nehru Regional Engineering College, Allahabad. Subsequently, he studied Public Administration from Manchester University, U.K. (1978).

Shri Chaturvedi has travelled very extensively overseas for international negotiations. He has represented Government of India on the Boards of UNICEF and UNDP, New York. He has published several research papers on public administration and governance. He is a recipient of number of honours and awards.