The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has named Amarjeet Sinha and Bhaskar Khulbe, two retired officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), as advisers to the Prime Minister, a notification said on Friday.

Sinha retired as secretary, ministry of rural affairs, last year, while Khulbe has served in various senior positions in the central government, including the Prime Minister’s Office. Both will be placed in the PMO and will serve in the rank of secretary to the Union government.

The appointments have been made on a contractual basis initially for a period of two years, or until further orders, the notification said. Usual terms and conditions as applicable in the case of re-employed officers at the secretary-level in the government will be applicable on them, it added.

Sinha belonged to the Bihar cadre of IAS (1983 batch), while Khulbe was from the West Bengal cadre.