Bhubaneswar: Senior Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) Officer Debaprasad Dash has been promoted to Special Secretary rank and given additional charge of Director, Information and Public Relations (I & PR) Department.
The post of Director I & PR was lying vacant since Saroj Samal superannuated on February 28, 2025.
Dash, who was previously serving as the Joint Secretary in the Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture, will now assume the role of Special Secretary in the same department.
The General Administration & Public Grievance Department issued a notification on Tuesday announcing the promotion and subsequent appointment.
Prior to this promotion, Dash has held various significant positions within the state government.
Notably, Dash was suspended on May 28, 2018, as a part of disciplinary action against him during the previous BJD regime. He was then serving as a Joint Secretary at the Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD). It was then speculated that the axe fell on Dash for anchoring several programmes organised by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
However, no charges were proved against him, triggering criticism that he could have been victimised.
The Mohan Majhi government revoked his suspension and he was reinstated in service on July 26, 2024.
