Shri Puneet Kansal is a 1996-batch IAS officer from the Sikkim Cadre and currently serves as Additional Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India. He also holds additional charge of Chairman, Airport Authority of India.
He earned a B.E. in Electronics & Communication from IIT Roorkee and an M.B.A. in Finance from Amity University. With nearly three decades of experience in the Central and State Governments, as well as in field administration, his notable assignments in the Central Government include Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat; Joint Secretary, Ministry of Steel; and Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B). He has also served as Director in the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare among other key roles. During his tenure in I&B, the first e-auction for allocation of FM Waves was conducted in 2015, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of India’s FM broadcasting sector.
In the Government of Sikkim, he has served in several departments, including Tourism and Civil Aviation, Planning & Development, Agriculture & Cooperation, and Industries. During an inter-state deputation to Uttarakhand, he served as District Magistrate, Tehri Garhwal cum Director Rehabilitation, Tehri Dam Project and District Magistrate, Dehradun. During his tenure, the Tehri Dam was completed for Phase I commissioning, and he also contributed to the development and expansion of Dehradun airport.
His career spans a wide range of key sectors including Civil Aviation, Tourism, Steel, Power, Health, Finance, Industries, Agriculture and Rural Development. He has extensive experience in policy formulation, administration, inter-governmental and inter-ministerial coordination, program implementation, and financial management.
His career trajectory reflects significant experience in field administration, the State Government, and the Government of India, with senior policy and leadership responsibilities in critical sectors of national importance.
