Bhubaneswar: Senior IAS officer Nikunja Bihari Dhal was posted as Secretary, Energy, by the Odisha government on Wednesday, according to an official notification.
Dhal, who was serving as Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare (H&FW), was made the Energy Secretary, days after the government appointed Pradipta Mohapatra as Additional Chief Secretary, H&FW, amid its battle against COVID-19.
While certain eyebrows were then raised over the move, the government by posting Dhal as Secretary, Energy, has ensured that the 1993 batch IAS officer continues to handle an important department.
The government also posted Bishnupada Sethi, who was Secretary, Energy, as Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management, in place of Mohapatra.
Santosh Kumar Sarangi, who recently returned from central deputation, was appointed as the new Secretary, Science and Technology. Sethi was holding additional charge of the department. Sarangi was for a brief period serving as Officer on Special Duty, General Administration and Public Grievance.
