Pradeep Jena appointed new Chief Secretary of Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government today appointed senior IAS officer Pradeep Kumar Jena as the new Chief Secretary of the state.

Jena, a 1989 batch IAS officer, is now working as the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) and Development Commissioner of Odisha.

Incumbent Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra is scheduled to retire from service on February 28. Jena will take charge on March 1, sources said.

1991-batch IAS officer Anu Garg, who is now working as the Additional Chief Secretary to Water Resources department, has been appointed as the new Development Commissioner of Odisha, said a notification of the General Administration and Public Grievances department today.

Garg is allowed to remain in charge of Additional Chief Secretary to Water Resources department in addition to her new assignment, added the notification.

Jena had begun his career as Dharmgarh Sub-Collector in Kalahandi district in 1991.

Later, he had worked as the Project Director of Kalahandi District Rural Development Agency (DRDA). He had also worked as Kalahandi Collector before his transfer to Kendrapara district.

Jena was the Collector of Cuttack district when the Super Cyclone battered Odisha in 1999. He had played a crucial role in the rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the district in the aftermath of the cyclone.

Jena, a resident of Dhenkanal district, had held several key positions in the departments of Water Resources, Energy and Rural Development. He had also worked as the Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Puri.

Notably, Mahapatra, a 1986 batch IAS officer, was scheduled to retire on February 28 last year. However, he got two extensions, each for six months, beyond his date of retirement.