Big boost for military as Modi govt gives officers powers of additional & joint secretaries Formal appointment means the officers can now dispose of files at their levels under powers delegated to them, instead of routing them through Secretary, DMA, Gen. Bipin Rawat. Snehesh Alex Philip 6 May, 2021 9:32 am IST Text Size: A+ New Delhi: In a landmark move in the country’s armed forces history, uniformed personnel from the Army, Air Force and Navy have been for the first time formally appointed as additional secretary and joint secretaries in the Ministry of Defence. In a late evening order Monday, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, appointed Lt Gen. Anil Puri as the Additional Secretary in the Department of Military Affairs (DMA).