New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has empanelled 69 IAS officers, including five from Odisha, for senior positions at the Centre.
According to the official note, 41 officers have been empanelled for appointment as secretaries or on equivalent-level posts, and another 28 for additional secretary or equivalent-level positions.
Sushil Kumar Lohani, a 1995-batch Odisha cadre officer, has been placed in the secretary-equivalent category. He is currently on central deputation and serving as Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
Similarly, Bhaskar Jyoti Sharma and Shubha Sarma, both belonging to 1999 batch, and Dodda Venkata Swamy and Santhanagopalan R of 2001 batch have been empanelled for additional secretary or equivalent-level positions.
Bhaskar Jyoti Sharma recently took charge as Principal Secretary, Forest Environment & Climate Change department. He also serves as Principal Secretary of the Excise Department and holds charges as CMD, OPTCL, and Chairman, OSBCL. Shubha Sarma, currently serving as the Principal Secretary of the Women & Child Development Department, has also been assigned the role of Principal Secretary for the Water Resources Department.
Dodda Venkata Swamy is currently serving as the Chairman of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Santhanagopalan is the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha and and ex-officio Principal Secretary to Home (Elections). He along with Dodda Venkata Swamy was promoted by the state government to the rank of Principal Secretary on December 31, 2025.
The empanelment of over three dozen secretaries will allow the government many options in the next round of top-level reshuffle in bureaucracy, reports said, quoting officials.
Check the list here
