After Odisha Higher Education Minister’s Ouster, Dept Principal Secy Bishnupada Sethi Transferred

Bhubaneswar: Shortly after Higher Education Minister Rohit Pujari was dropped from Naveen Patnaik Ministry, principal secretary of the department Bishnupada Sethi was also removed from the post.

Sethi, a 1995-batch IAS officer, has been transferred and appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the General Administration and Public Grievances department, official sources said.

Aravind Agrawal, a 2007-batch IAS officer, has been appointed as the Commissioner-cum-Secretary to Higher Education department, they said.

Agrawal will also hold the additional charge of director, Rural Development.

Agrawal was earlier working as the director of Social Welfare, Women and Child Development department with additional charge managing director, Mahila Vikash Samabaya Nigama.

Sethi was earlier holding the additional charge of Chairman, Odisha Hydro Power Corporation Ltd (OHPC).

Finance department Principal Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev, a 1996-batch IAS officer, will now hold the additional charge of OHPC Chairman.

Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister recommended Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal to drop Rohit Pujari from the council of ministers due to poor performance of his department, which figured at the bottom following a review of all departments. Naveen recently conducted annual review of all departments.

Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak has been given additional charge of higher education portfolio.