Odisha govt rejects senior IAS officer's premature retirement

Odisha government on Saturday appointed senior IAS officer Gagan Kumar Dhal as the chairman of OFDC after rejecting his application for premature retirement from service, an official said.

Dhal, a 1985 batch IAS officer, had on August 6 submitted a letter to the state government seeking premature retirement on personal ground.

However, the state government rejected his application for premature retirement and named him as the chairman of Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC), the official said.

The post of chairman of OFDC is declared equivalent in status and responsibility to the post of chief secretary provided in the IAS cadre of the state, a notification issued by the General Administration department said.

Though the state government had named Asit Kumar Tripathy as the chief secretary on August 15, an official notification was issued only on Saturday.

Tripathy, a 1986 batch IAS Officer has also been allowed to officiate as the Chairperson of Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) and Odisha Space application Centre (ORSAC).

Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, a 1986 batch IAS officer, has been appointed as Development Commissioner and given additional charge of Working Chairperson of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), the notification said.

Director General Gopabandhu Academy of Administration (GAA) Bhubaneswar, Sudershan Pal Thakur has also been given additional charge of Chief Administrator of KBK.

Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra of 1988 batch IAS, has been appointed as Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC) in place of G K Dhal. Mohapatra will also hold additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary, School and Mass Education Department.

Principal Secretary of Rural Development department Mona Sharma will hold additional charge of the Department of Forest and Environment, it said.

Industries secretary Sanjeev Chopra has been given additional charge of Home Department. Chopra is now officiating as the chairman the state owned Odisha Mining Corporation.

Works secretary Krishan Kumar will hold additional charge of Chief Administrator Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).

Senior Indian Telecom Service (ITS) Officer Rudra Narayan Palai, now Special Secretary Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DoE&IT), is appointed Special Secretary Department of Revenue and Disaster Management.

Senior IRTS Officer Manoj Kumar Mishra is given additional charge as Secretary Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DoEIT).

Mishra is now Commissioner Rail Coordination and Special Secretary Department of Commerce and Transport (DoCT).