Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Thursday appointed IAS officer Arabinda Kumar Padhee as the Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).

According to a notification issued by the Law Department, Padhee will continue to serve as the Principal Secretary of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment until further notice.

Padhee will take over from Vir Vikram Yadav as the head of the SJTA.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 19 of Shree Jagannath Temple Act, 1954 (Odisha Act, 11 of 1955), the State Government do hereby appoint Shri Arabinda Kumar Padhi, IAS, as Chief Administrator, STA, Puri in addition to his present duties for the time being and until further orders in place of Sri V.V. Yadav," the notification said.