Odisha Govt effects bureaucratic reshuffle; Gagan Dhal appointed OFDC Chairman

Bhubaneswar: The Government of Odisha on Saturday carried out a minor bureaucratic reshuffle in the state administration.

According to a communiqué of the General Administration & Public Grievance Department, Senior IAS officer Gagan Kumar Dhal, who is currently serving as Agriculture Production Commissioner, has been appointed as Chairman, Odisha Forest Development Corporation Ltd.

The post is declared equivalent in status and responsibility to the post of Chief Secretary provided in the IAS Cadre of the State, the release said.

Notably, Gagan Kumar Dhal, a 1985-batch IAS officer, has recently tendered his resignation from the service citing a personal reason.

Senior IAS officer Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, Additional Chief Secretary of Forest & Environment Department, has been appointed as Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary and Secretary of Planning & Convergence Department.

Mahapatra is allowed to remain in additional charge of Working Chairperson, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, Puri in addition to his own duties.

Sudershan Pal Thakur, IAS, Director General of Training Coordination, Gopabandhu Academy of Administration is allowed to remain in additional charge of Chief Administrator, KBK, Koraput in addition to his own duties.

The additional appointment of senior IAS officer Asit Kumar Tripathy as Chief Administrator, KBK, Koraput shall stand terminated from the date Thakur takes over.

Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary of School & Mass Education Department, has been appointed as Agriculture Production Commissioner vice transfer of Gagan Dhal.

Mohapatra is allowed to remain in additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary of School & Mass Education Department in addition to his own duties.

Mona Sharma, IAS, Principal Secretary of Rural Development Department, has been allowed to remain in additional charge of Principal Secretary of Forest & Environment Department in addition to her own duties.

Sanjiv Chopra, IAS, Principal Secretary of Industries Department with Additional Charge, Chairman, OMC Limited is allowed to remain in additional charge of Principal Secretary of Home Department in addition to his own duties.

The additional appointment of Asit Kumar Tripathy as Additional Chief Secretary of Home Department shall stand terminated from the date Chopra takes over.

IRTS officer Manoj Kumar Mishra, CRC and Special Secretary of Commerce & Transport Department, has been allowed to remain in additional charge of Secretary (I/c) of Electronics & Information Technology Department in addition to his own duties.

ITS officer Rudra Narayan Palai, Special Secretary of Electronics & Information Technology Department, has been appointed as Special Secretary of Revenue & Disaster Management Department.

Also Read: Odisha APC Gagan Dhal Resigns From Service