Odisha IAS Officer Pradipta Mohapatra Gets Central Approval For Secretary Rank Posting

Bhubaneswar: The Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet has approved the elevation of senior Odisha IAS officer Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra to the rank of Secretary for appointment at the Centre.

According to sources, the 1988 batch Odisha cadre officer Mohapatra is among the senior IAS officers who have been elevated to the Secretary.

Mohapatra, who is now posted as Chairman of Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) is likely to get his new posting soon following the recent approval by the cabinet committee.

It may be recalled that Mohapatra, who was Additional Chief Secretary, Health & Family Welfare in Odisha, was shunted in a reshuffle effected by the state government in October 2021 and appointed as OFDC Chairman.

Last year, the Centre had approved the empanelment of  Mohapatra and four others from Uttarakhand and Bihar for appointment at the Centre with Additional Secretary or equivalent rank.

Mohapatra was the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) in Odisha when the state won applause from across the world for effective management of cyclone Phailin in 2013.