India

IAS Officer Sandeep Poundrik Appointed Secretary of Heavy Industries Ministry

By Manas Pimpalkhare

The cabinet’s appointments committee announced on Friday that 1993‑batch Indian Administrative Service officer Sandeep Poundrik, a Bihar cadre officer, will serve as secretary of the Ministry of Heavy Industries. Poundrik will hold this post in addition to his existing role as secretary of the Ministry of Steel. Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy currently manages both the steel and heavy industries portfolios, so Poundrik will now head the two ministries at the secretary level.

The heavy industries ministry is responsible for key electric‑mobility initiatives, including the ₹25,938‑crore Production‑Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for automobiles and auto parts (PLI Auto) and the ₹11,900‑crore Prime Minister’s E‑Drive scheme. It also oversees the ₹18,100‑crore PLI scheme for advanced chemistry cells (PLI ACC) and the operations of state‑run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL), which manufactures power generation, transportation, railway, defence, aerospace equipment and clean‑energy products.

Other responsibilities include the ₹1,207‑crore Scheme for Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector – Phase II, which funds industry accelerators and skilling programmes to close research and development gaps in the capital‑goods sector. In November 2025, the ministry launched a ₹7,280‑crore incentive package to establish five rare‑earth magnet plants, a response to global supply constraints caused by Chinese export controls.

The PLI Auto, PLI ACC, PM E‑Drive and rare‑earth magnet schemes are part of India’s strategy to achieve net‑zero carbon emissions by 2070. The government has supported the rollout of 1.1 million electric vehicles under the PM E‑Drive scheme, including 811,357 electric two‑wheelers, 2,168 e‑rickshaws, 288,508 electric three‑wheelers and 155 electric trucks. The scheme also sanctioned 14,000 e‑buses through tenders issued by Convergence Energy Services Ltd.

Under the PLI Auto scheme, the government has disbursed ₹2,386.86 crore by the end of FY26, with incentives expected to continue until FY29. Eight vehicle makers and ten component makers are eligible for incentives. The PLI ACC scheme aims to establish 50 GWh of cell‑making capacity; as of March 2026, only 1 GWh of the 40 GWh awarded has been installed. The government has revised timelines for companies such as Ola Electric and Reliance Industries, while Bengaluru‑based Rajesh Exports was denied further benefits due to allegations of financial misrepresentation.

The ministry has yet to award an additional 10 GWh of capacity earmarked for grid‑scale energy storage, with a tender floated in July.

The article was written by Manas, a New Delhi‑based journalist with Mint who covers economic policy, industry and emerging sectors. He has reported on government regulation, manufacturing, and the clean‑energy transition, including India’s efforts to build domestic capacity in electric vehicles and energy storage.