Less than a month after a reshuffle of his Cabinet, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in an unexpected move on Friday removed Higher Education Minister Rohit Pujari from the Council of Ministers.
In this regard, the CM recommended Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal to exclude Pujari from the Cabinet.
The action was taken following an annual review report on the Minister’s performance in his department which was said to be not satisfactory.
Significantly, ahead of the reshuffle, Pujari was not asked to resign as the Minister.
In place of Pujari, the CM appointed Food Supplies, Consumer Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak to hold the additional charge of the Higher Education Department.
The Government also transferred the department’s Secretary Bishnupada Sethi in a minor reshuffle in the IAS cadre.
Sethi was appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the General Administration and Public Grievance Department. He was earlier holding the additional charge of Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) Chairman.
Finance Department Principal Secretary Vishal Kumar Deb was asked to hold the additional charge of OHPC.
Arvind Agrawal was appointed as the Commissioner-cum-Secretary to Higher Education Department. He would also hold the additional charge of the Rural Development Department Director.
Pujari had assumed office as the Minister of Higher Education in June last year.