IAS reshuffle in Odisha government,

Mootv Odisha / Bhubaneswar : After coming to power, the Mohan government has transferred the first IAS level. Powerful Babu, who has been sitting in the BJD government for years, has been sacked by the BJP government. Some of the officers who were dressed as Gehla sons in the Naveen government have left the Lok Seva Bhavan in the Mohan government. In the Naveen government, 3 senior officers close to the power corridor, IAS G.Mathivathanan, Bishal Dev and R.Vinilkrishna have been replaced. Emphasis has been given to competent IAS officers who have been cornered earlier. A notification has been issued by the Public Administration Department.

According to the notification, Nikunj Bihari Dhal, a senior IAS of 1993 batch, has been given the additional charge of IDCO Chairman. Nikunj is currently working as Additional Chief Administrative Secretary to the Chief Minister. IAS Hemant Sharma is now the chairman of IDCO. IAS Surendra Kumar of that batch has been given additional charge of Parliamentary Affairs Department. Surendra is now working as Additional Chief Secretary of Public Administration Department and Tourism Department. He is in charge of these two departments from July 2021.

Similarly, Hemant Kumar Sharma, a 1995 batch IAS and Principal Secretary of the Industries Department, has been given additional charge as the Principal Secretary of the MSME Department. Until further orders, he will hold additional responsibilities as EPIC Chairman along with Industries and MSME Department. Shaswat Mishra, a 1996 batch IAS and principal secretary to the governor, has been given additional charge. He has been appointed as Principal Secretary of Finance and Energy Department. He will also hold additional responsibilities as the Chairman of the Odisha Subordinate Staff Selection Commission. Similarly, IAS of that batch Usha Padhi has been made the Principal Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Department. He will hold the charge of Principal Secretary, Department of Skill Development and Technical Education and Department of Commerce and Transport.

1994 batch IAS G. Mathivathanan has been given a big shock by the Mohan government. Mathivathanan has been replaced as DG of Gopabandhu Administrative Academy. Gehla’s son Mathivathanan has been working as the head of housing and urban development department for more than 10 years in the Naveen government. While in the opposition party, the BJP raised questions about his tenure in one department for a decade, with a span of 3 years. After coming to the government, he has been replaced. He was also the Secretary of the Parliamentary Affairs Department. Now Development Commissioner Anu Garg is additionally working as DG of Gopabandhu Administrative Academy.

1996 batch IAS Bishal Kumar Dev has been removed from the finance and energy department. He will work as the Principal Secretary of Electronics and IT Department. Earlier he was holding additional charge of this department. Similarly, he will additionally serve as the Chairman of Odisha Forest Development Corporation. 1999 batch IAS Bhaskar Jyot Sharma has got a new charge. He has been appointed as the Secretary of the State Sports and Youth Affairs Department. He was working as Commissioner of Land Records and Settlement.

2005 batch IAS R Vinil Krishna, who was Special Secretary to the former Chief Minister, has also been replaced. While he was previously in the sports and youth affairs department, he was removed from it and posted as Odisha land record and detention commissioner by the Mohan government. The state government has announced to give the opportunity of secretary promotion in Odisha IAS cadre to the said post. Similarly, there is a possibility that the state government is going to make another big change at the IAS level very soon. Some other officers with power flowers in Naveen’s government will also be replaced.