Balwant Singh Appointed BDA Vice-Chairman. Krishan Kumar Gets Addl Charge Of Works Dept

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government terminated additional appointment of Prem Kumar Jha (IFS) as Vice-Chairman, Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) in a minor bureaucratic reshuffle on Saturday.

Balwant Singh has instead been appointed to the post. This 2007-batch IAS officer is currently serving as Director, Technical Education and Training with an additional charge of Director, Agricultural Marketing and Member Secretary, OSAM Board.

Jha, special secretary, housing and urban development, was given additional charge of BDA vice-chairman on Friday.

According to the notification issued by the general administration and public grievance department, seven officers have been given new assignments by the order of the Governor.

Bishnupada Sethi has been appointed as Commissioner, Commercial Taxes and GST.

This 1995-batch IAS officer will continue to hold additional charge of Special Relief Commissioner, Odisha, and Managing Director, OSDMA, while his predecessor Saswata Mishra will replace him as Commissioner-cum-Secretary to Government, Higher Education Department.

Mishra, a 1996-batch IAS officer, earlier held the posts of Commissioner, Commercial Taxes and GST and Ex-officio Special Secretary to Government, Finance Department.

Similarly, Dr Krishan Kumar, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Cooperation Department with additional charge of Chairman, Odisha State Warehousing Corporation, has been appointed Secretary, Works Department, in addition to his own duties.

Additional appointment of this 2002-batch IAS officer as Special Secretary to Govt Agriculture and  FE Department has been cancelled.

Prasanta Kumar Senapati, currently holding the post of Director, Fisheries, has been appointed as Secretary, Board of Revenue.

This 2004-batch IAS officer will take exchange charge with Ratnakar Rout, who will also continue to serve as Director, Animal Husbandry and  Veterinary Services.

Prem Chandra Chaudhary Director  (I/c) Special Projects, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department with additional charge of Chief Executive Officer of Biju Yuva Bahini and Director of State Institute for Rural Development  has been allowed to remain in additional charge of Controller, Legal Metrology-cum- Director Consumer Affairs, in addition to his own duties until further orders.

This 2010-batch IAS officer has been conferred with status and responsibility Ex-Officio Joint Secretary to Government, Food and Supplies Department.