IAS reshuffle in Odisha; Raj Sharma appointed ACS of Health, Bishnupada Sethi new S&ME Secy

Bhubaneswar: In a major IAS reshuffle, Odisha Government today appointed Agriculture Production Commissioner Raj Kumar Sharma as the Additional Chief Secretary of Health & Family Welfare Department.

The 1987-batch IAS Officer is allowed to remain additional charge of Chairman, OSMCL, in addition to his own duties.

Similarly, Additional Chief Secretary to Home Department IAS Sanjeev Chopra (1990-batch) has been appointed as Agriculture Production Commissioner replacing Sharma. He is allowed to remain in additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary to Home Department and Additional Chief Secretary to A&FE Department in addition to his own duties.

Besides, the State Government appointed the 1991-batch IAS Officer Madhu Sudan Padhi, who is the Principal Secretary to Commerce & Transport Department with additional charge of Commissioner, Land Records & Settlement, as the Principal Secretary to Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department.

MSME Principal Secretary Satyabrata Sahu (1991-batch), who is in additional charge of Principal Secretary to School & Mass Education Department, has been appointed as the Principal Secretary to Revenue & Disaster Management Department.

Ranjana Chopra (1994-batch), who is the Principal Secretary to ST&SC Development, M&BCW Department, is allowed to remain in charge of Principal Secretary to the MSME Department in addition to her own duties.

Industries Principal Secretary Hemant Sharma (1995-batch), who is in charge of Principal Secretary to SD&TE Department and Chairman of IPICOL, is allowed to remain in additional charge of Chairman of IDCO in addition to his own duties.

Meanwhile, Bishnupada Sethi, who is currently holding the position as the Principal Secretary to Revenue & Disaster Management Department with additional charge of Principal Secretary to I&PR Department, has been appointed as the Principal Secretary to School & Mass Education Department. The 1995-batch IAS Officer is allowed to remain in additional charge of Principal Secretary to Commerce & Transport Department and Principal Secretary to I&PR Department in addition to his own duties.

Commissioner-cum-Secretary of A&FE Department Suresh Kumar Vashishth has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) of GA&PG Department.

The post of OSD of the department has been declared equivalent in status and responsibility to the post of Commissioner-cum-Secretary to the Government provided in the IAS cadre of the State, the notification stated.

Moreover, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma has been allowed to remain in charge of Commissioner-cum-Secretary of W&CD Department in addition to his own duties.

The additional appointment of Anu Garg as Principal Secretary of W&CD Department will stand terminated from the date Sarma takes over the charge.

Also, Bhupendra Singh Poonia (2008-batch), who is the Managing Director of IPICOL with additional charge of Additional Secretary to Industries Department, ED, IDCO and MD of Odisha Film Development Corporation is allowed to remain in additional charge of MD of IDCO in addition to his own duties.