BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Thursday effected a massive reshuffle at the senior IAS level ahead of the budget session of the Assembly beginning February 17.
Development commissioner Deoranjan Kumar Singh was assigned charge of the Steel and Mines department, which was earlier held by Surendra Kumar. Singh had held the position in the past.
Kumar, an additional chief secretary-ranked officer, will continue in the General Administration and Public Grievance (GA&PG) department and be in additional charge of the Parliamentary Affairs department.
Arabinda Padhee, additional chief secretary in the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment department, has been posted to the Revenue and Disaster Management department. He will continue to remain chief administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration.
Sachin Ramchandra Yadav was posted as commissioner-cum-secretary of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment department. He will continue to hold the Sports and Youth Services department as additional charge.
Similarly, Usha Padhee, additional chief secretary in the Housing and Urban Development department, was given additional charge as chairperson of the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO).
Chithra Arumugam, additional chief secretary in the Labour and ESI department, will also remain in additional charge as director general of the Gopabandhu Academy of Administration.
Shubha Sarma, who was in the Women and Child Development department, has been posted as principal secretary in the Water Resources department.
Bishnupada Sethi, currently officer on special duty in the GA&PG department, has been posted as chairman of the Odisha Forest Development Corporation. He will be in additional charge as chief administrator of KBK.
Similarly, Suresh Kumar Vashishth, principal secretary in the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development department, has been posted to the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities department.
Mrinalini Darswal, special resident commissioner in New Delhi, was appointed secretary of Women and Child Development department.
NBS Rajput was appointed principal secretary in the Commerce and Transport department and will continue to hold additional charge as CMD of OSRTC. Similarly, Girish SN, secretary in the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water department, has been given additional charge as chairman of the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC).
Balwant Singh, secretary in the Tourism department, has been given charge as managing director of the Odisha State Highways Authority, while Sudhansu Mohan Samal, MD of OMC, has been given additional charge as revenue divisional commissioner of the central division.
Rashmita Panda, director (employment) and CEO of the Odisha Skill Development Authority, has been posted as vice-chairperson of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority.
Sadique Alam, director (Fisheries), has been given additional charge as MD of Capital Region Urban Transport, while Mansi Nimbhal, MD of the Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation, has been appointed secretary in the Mission Shakti department.
Besides, Prem Chandra Chaudhary, director (textiles and handlooms), has been appointed secretary in the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development department. Anupam Saha, additional secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office, has been given additional charge as managing director of the Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation.
Sangram Keshari Mohapatra, RDC, southern division, has been given additional charge of the northern division and chairman of the Western Odisha Development Council.