Aditya Padhi Likely To Quit As Odisha Chief Secy

Bhubaneswar: With the Budget session of state Assembly over, the Odisha government is likely to effect a major reshuffle in the highest echelons of the administration soon. Chief Secretary Aditya Padhi and DGP R P Sharma will be given constitutional posts to pave the way for change of guard at the top, official sources said on Monday.

Bureaucratic circles are agog with speculation that Padhi and Sharma might soon put in their papers and take up new assignments. While Padhi is said to have been offered the post of State Election Commissioner, Sharma is likely to join as member of the newly-formed state Lokayukta.

If sources are to be believed, Development Commissioner Asit Tripathy is tipped to succeed Padhi. Tripathy, a 1986-batch IAS officer, would superannuate in December, 2020.

Padhi, a 1983-batch IAS officer, was scheduled to retire from government service in February 2020, but he might take voluntary retirement from service to assume a new role. On Sunday, Padhi returned from a foreign trip and might take a decision in this regard soon, sources disclosed.

Similarly, DGP Sharma, a 1986-batch IPS officer, was slated to superannuate in May 2020. His batchmate Bijay Kumar Sharma, who is serving as Director General, Fire Services; Commandant General, Home Guards, and Director, Civil Defence, is said to be in line to replace R P Sharma. B K Sharma officiated as DGP during R P Sharma’s bereavement in April.

Sources informed that R P Sharma is no longer keen to continue in the top cop post. B K Sharma is due to retire in October 2022.

Official sources said the government wants to overhaul the administrative apparatus to sync it with its 5T (Teamwork, Transparency, Technology, Transformation and Time) agenda for the Naveen Patnaik dispensation’s fifth consecutive term in office.

“The basis of the impending transfers would be 5T. The government is expected to give important responsibilities to officers, who can effectively implement the 5T agenda,” said an official source.

On July 29, the Odisha government appointed V K Pandian as Secretary to Chief Minister (Transformation and Initiatives). He would continue to hold charge of Private Secretary to CM.

Sources said Pandian’s new assignment has sent a clear message to officers on the government’s vision and objectives. “All activities would now be aligned with the 5T agenda,” a source added.