Major IAS Reshuffle In Odisha: Shalini Pandit Is New Health Secretary, Subha Gets W&CD

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday effected major changes in the Health & Family Welfare Department by appointing National Health Mission Director Shalini Pandit as the new Commissioner-cum-Secretary.

Brundha D will succeed her while remaining in additional charge of MD OSMCL and Food Safety Commissioner of Odisha.

Saroj Kumar Mishra, Special Secretary, Finance Department, with additional charge of Special Secretary, Home (Protocol) Department, has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department. He will also remain in additional charge of Special Secretary, Home (Protocol) Department.

Similarly, Shubha Sarma, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Department, has been appointed as Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Woman and Child Development Department, under which falls the government’s flagship programme Mission Shakti.

The reshuffle in the IAS cadre also saw Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary, Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Department, being given additional charge of Principal Secretary, Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Department. Padhee has long been promoting Odisha craft and handloom. After assuming charge as Agriculture Secretary, he urged employees of the department to wear handlooms at least once a week (Friday).

Nikunja Bihari Dhal, Principal Secretary, Energy Department, has been given additional charge of Principal Secretary, Excise Department, and Chairman, GRIDCO. The additional appointment of Deoranjan Kumar Singh as Principal Secretary, Excise Department, shall stand terminated from the date Dhal takes over, the notification issued by General Administration and Public Grievance Department stated.

The other appointments are as followed:

>> Suresh Kumar Vashishth, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Science & Technology Department,  has appointed as Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Fisheries & ARD Department. The additional appointment of Dr Padhee as Principal Secretary, Fisheries & ARD Department, shall stand terminated from the date Vashishth takes over.

>> Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department, is allowed to remain in additional charge of Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Science & Technology Department.

>> Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, Director, ST with additional charge of CEO, ORMAS, has ben appointed as Additional Secretary, PR & DW Department. She will remain in additional charge of CEO, ORMAS.

>> Sanjay Kumar Mishra, Special Secretary, Commerce & Transport Department, is allowed to remain in additional charge of Chairman-cum-Managing Director, OPTCL. The additional appointment of Nikunja Bihari Dhal as chairman, OPTCL, shall stand terminated from the date Sanjay Kumar Mishra takes over, it added.