The State Government on Saturday appointed Jugal Kishore Mohapatra as the next Chief Secretary in place of outgoing Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik, who is retiring on Sunday.
The 1979 batch of Odisha cadre IAS officer Mohapatra would assume office of the Chief Secretary on July 1. He would be the 40th Chief Secretary of the State. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik approved Mohapatra’s name for the top post in the Odisha administration, considering his excellent track record as an honest and efficient bureaucrat.
Mohapatra is presently holding the second top post in the administration, the Development Commissioner, along with the post of Secretary Finance. Earlier, he already served the Chief Minister’s office as his Secretary. Mohapatra, who also performed as Revenue Secretary, had also served the Union Government as Joint Secretary, Rural Development.
At the same time, Patnaik also appointed the outgoing Chief Secretary as the Chairman of the Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC) on the penultimate day of his superannuation.
He will formally hand over the charge on Sunday, the last day in service.A formal notification relating his new assignment has been notified by the General Administration Department.
Outgoing Chief Secretary Patnaik would join his new assignment on July 1, sources said. With the appointment of Mohapatra as new Chief Secretary and promoting four senior IAS officers to the rank of Chief Secretary, the Chief Minister has also effected a shake-up in the top level of administration.
According to official sources, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Aditya Prasad Padhi, Home Secretary UN Behera, Urban Development Secretary Injeti Srinivas and Revenue Secretary Tara Dutt have been elevated to the rank of Chief Secretary.
On promotion, Padhi would work as Additional Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, while UN Behera has been appointed as Principal Secretary, Finance, along with his present job of Principal Secretary, Home. Injeti Srinivas has been appointed as the Development Commissioner in place of Jugal Kishore Mohapatra with additional charge of Urban Development Secretary. Revenue Secretary Tara Dutt has been posted as Chief Administrator, KBK, along with his present job.
Tourism and Culture Secretary Asok Kumar Tripathy has been shifted to the Gopabandhu Academy of Administration as Director General. PR Saha, the Chief Administrator, KBK, has been posted as the Member Board of Revenue. Sudarshan Thakur, at present Principal Secretary, Excise, has been appointed as new Principal Secretary of Tourism in addition to his present job. The ST and SC Development Department Principal Secretary has been given the charge as Culture Secretary along with his present post, official sources said.