Odisha Reshuffles Senior IAS Officers, Key Departments Get New Heads

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has undertaken a significant reshuffle of senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, effecting changes across key administrative departments.

According to a notification issued by the General Administration & Public Grievance Department, Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma, a 1999-batch IAS officer, has been appointed as Principal Secretary to the Government in the Forests, Environment and Climate Change Department. He was previously serving as Principal Secretary in the Excise Department and also held additional charges as CMD of OPTCL and Chairman of the Odisha State Beverages Corporation Ltd. Sarma will continue to hold the additional charge of CMD, OPTCL.

Santhanagopalan, a 2001-batch IAS officer, currently serving as Chief Electoral Officer of Odisha and Ex-officio Principal Secretary to the Government in the Home (Elections) Department, has been allowed to continue with additional responsibilities as Principal Secretary in the Excise Department and Chairman of the Odisha State Beverages Corporation Limited.

With this change, Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma’s additional charge as Chairman of the Odisha State Beverages Corporation Limited stands withdrawn from the date Santhanagopalan assumes office.

In another development, Balwant Singh (2007-batch), Commissioner-cum-Secretary to the Government in the Tourism Department, has been permitted to continue holding the additional charge of Chairperson of the Odisha State Highway Authority.

However, the earlier notification assigning him the additional charge of Managing Director of the Odisha State Highway Authority has been officially cancelled.