The state government today effected major changes in senior bureaucratic level, the first such exercise after installation of Jugal Kishor Mohapatra as the new chief secretary of the state.
As per a general administration (GA) department notification, steel and mines secretary Rajesh Verma has been appointed as principle secretary of agricultural department. He will be replaced by G. Srinivas, who recently returned from central deputation.
Additional secretary of steel and mines department, G C Sethy will now work as additional secretary, Food Supply and Consumer Affairs.
Hemant Sharma, the labour commissioner, has been asked to join as chairman and managing director (CMD) of Gridco Ltd. Sharma will be replaced by Shalini Pandit.
The government promoted C J Venugopal, secretary of public enterprises (PE), to the rank of principle secretary and posted him in the rural development department. He will also hold additional responsibility of PE department until further order.
Similarly, Manoj Ahuja, commissioner, commercial tax, has been given extra charge of transport commissioner while P K Pattnaik has been posted as additional secretary of GA Department, and Surendra Kumar as secretary of Science and Technology department.
In other changes, the government appointed Vipin Kumar Saxsena as principle secretary, Home Department, Rupa Mishra as director of National Rural Health Mission and managing director of Odisha Medical Corporation and D N Gupta as Consolidation Commissioner.
The government also shifted collectors of Sundergarh, Kandhamal, Bolangir, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Khurda, Nuapada, Kalahandi and Balasore districts.
