OB Exclusive: Suresh Mahapatra Gets Six-Month Extension As Odisha Chief Secretary

Bhubaneswar: Suresh Chandra Mahapatra on Thursday got a six-month extension as the Chief Secretary of Odisha, well-placed sources told Odisha Bytes. This should effectively put to rest speculation about his successor.

Mahapatra, who was due to superannuate on February 28, will remain in the top job at least till August-end. The Centre gave the green signal following a request from the state government, sources said. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), under the ministry of Personnel, Personal Grievances and Pensions, has communicated the same to the state government.

“I am directed to….convey the approval of the central government for extension in service of Shri Suresh Chandra Mahapatra….for a period of six months beyond his normal date of superannuation, i.e., 28.02.2022 under Rule 16 (1) of AIS (DCRB) Rules, 1958,” said a letter signed by under secretary, DoPT, Devendra Kumar. The letter, issued on Thursday, is addressed to the Principal Secretary, Department of General Administration and Pubic Grievance, Government of Odisha.

The state government had sent a proposal for extension in service of Mahapatra, who is an Odisha cadre IAS officer of 1986 batch. The development comes quick on the heels of the state election commission on Tuesday announcing three-tier panchayat polls in the state in February.

On January 1, 2021, Mahapatra succeeded his batchmate Asit Tripathy.