MUMBAI: Sushma Singh, a 1972 batch Jharkhand (then Bihar) cadre IAS officer, has been appointed Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. She had served as Secretary in the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region since 2006, and was the Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj prior to her latest appointment.

Singh succeeds 1973 batch IAS officer Asha Swarup, who has left to take charge of her new assignment in her home cadre as the chief secretary of Himachal Pradesh.

Singh retires from service in May 2009.