Top IAS officers reshuffled again

The State Government on Sunday effected a massive reshuffle at the top echelons of the administration by transferring several secretary-rank IAS officers. The State Government had transferred 27 officials, including 15 district collectors, on Friday.

According to a notification of the General Administration Department, I Srinivas, Secretary in the Housing and Urban Development Department, has been given additional charge as Secretary of Sports and Youth Affairs Department.

Rakesh Verma, Principal Secretary in the School and Mass Education Department, has been posted as Principal Secretary in the Steel and Mines Department in place of DK Singh. Singh has been posted as Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of Gridco and Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL).

Gagan Kumar Dhal, Principal Secretary in the Commerce and Transport Department, has been shifted as Principal Secretary in the Higher Education Department in place of Aparajita Sarangi.

Dhal has also been given additional charge as Commissioner, Land Reforms. Sarangi has been posted as Secretary in the Panchayati Raj Department. She has also been given additional charge as Commissioner, Consolidation.

Secretary in the Panchayati Raj Department Pradip Kumar Jena has been posted as Secretary in the Energy Department.

Jena will also continue as the Secretary in the Information and Public Relations Department and Chairman of Idco. Besides, he has been posted as CMD of Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC) and Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC).

G Mathivathanan, Secretary in the Energy Department, has been posted as Secretary in the Commerce and Transport Department and Parliamentary Affairs Department. Besides, he will also be CMD of OSRTC. Usha Padhee, currently Special Secretary in Panchayati Raj Department, has been posted as Secretary in the School and Mass Education Department. She will remain in additional charge as  Secretary in the Handloom and Textile Department.

Hemant Sharma, CMD of Gridco and OPTCL, has been transferred and posted as Commissioner-cum-Director of Employment and Employment Mission. Besides, he has also been posted as Director, Technical Education and Training.

Chitra Arumugam, Director, Special Projects, has been given additional charge as Director, TRIPTI (Targeted Rural Initiatives for Poverty Termination) and NRLM (National Rural Livelihood Mission). Saswat Mishra, CMD, OMC, has been posted as CMD, Omfed, in addition to his present responsibilities.