Senior Indian Administrative Services Officer Rajiv Gauba took over as Union home secretary on Thursday, PTI reported. His predecessor Rajiv Mehreshi retired on Thursday. Gauba, a 1982 IAS batch officer will be in office for a two-year term.

The 58-year-old joined the Home Ministry as an officer on Special Duty on June 27. His tasks as home secretary will include addressing matters of internal security, militancy in restive regions of Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast, Maoist problems in central and east India and other challenges.

Gauba last assignment was as secretary in the Union urban development ministry. He has also served as additional secretary in the Home Ministry and headed the left-wing extremism division.

His former roles included the post of Jharkhand chief secretary for 15 months and serving the Central government in several capacities in the ministries of defence, finance, environment and forests and department of electronics and information technology, PTI reported.