Asit Tripathy Appointed Odisha Chief Secretary

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Thursday appointed senior IAS officer Asit Tripathy as the Chief Secretary.

The post of chief secretary had fallen vacant with the resignation of Aditya Prasad Padhi, who will take charge is the State Election Commissioner (SEC) following the approval of Governor Ganeshi Lal.

The 1986 batch IAS officer, prior to his new assignment, was the Development Commissioner-cum-additional chief secretary and secretary, Planning and Convergence with the additional charge of additional chief secretary, Home and chief administrator, KBK.

Apart from this, the 1986 batch IAS and additional chief secretary, Forest & Environment, Suresh Chandra Mahapatra has been appointed as Development Commissioner with the additional charge of working chairperson of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Puri.

The 1988 batch IAS and additional chief secretary, School & Mass Education and chief administrator, SJTA, Puri, Pradipta Mahapatra is appointed as Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC).

The order of the appointment of the aforesaid officials will come with effect from August 19, said a General Administration notification.

Besides, retired IAS officer and chief advisor, Special Initiatives, R. Balakrishnan will function as the chief advisor, Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) while 2002 batch IAS and secretary, Works, Krishan Kumar is given the additional charge of the chief administrator, SJTA, Puri, with immediate effect, the notification added.