Top IAS officers reshuffled

Bhubaneswar: The newly-elected BJP government in Odisha on Wednesday effected a major reshuffle among senior-level IAS officers.

According to a notification issued by the state General Administration and Public Grievances (GA-PG) department for this purpose, Nikunja Bihari Dhal, the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) to the Chief Minister, will continue to have additional charge of Chairman of IDCO, a State PSU.

Similarly, ACS Surendra Kumar has been given charge of Parliamentary Affairs department in addition to the current posting as ACS to the GA-PG department and Tourism department. Senior IAS officer G Mathivathanan has been transferred as Director General of Training Coordination, Gopabandhu Academy of Administration, Bhubaneswar. Hemant Sharma, Principal Secretary of the Industries department with the additional charge of Chairman of the Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha (IPICOL), will remain in the additional charge of Principal Secretary, MS & ME department.

Usha Padhee, serving as Principal Secretary of the Skill Development & Technical Education department with the additional charge of the Commerce and Transport department, will have the additional charge of the Housing and Urban Development department.

Saswat Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Governor with additional charge of Chairman, Odisha State Staff Selection Commission (OSSSC), will have the additional charge of the Finance and Energy departments. Vishal Kumar Dev, a 1996 batch IAS officer, has been appointed as Principal Secretary, Electronics & IT department, with additional charge of Chairman, Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC).

Similarly, Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma has been appointed the Secretary of the Sports & Youth Services department, while R Vineel Krishna has been transferred as Commissioner of the Land Records and Settlement department.