Effecting a reshuffle in the top IAS level on the Independence Day on Thursday, the State Government appointed 1986-batch officer Asit Kumar Tripathy as the 43rd Chief Secretary.
Tripathy was appointed Chief Secretary as incumbent Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi opted for a voluntary retirement from service (VRS) and was appointed as the State Election Commissioner by the Governor.
As per the notification issued by the General Administration Department, the post of Development Commissioner held by Tripathy went to his batch mate Suresh Chandra Mahapatra.
The post of Working Chairperson of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) was also given to Mahapatra.
Besides, 1988-batch officer Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra was appointed as Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC) and Works Secretary Krishan Kumar given additional charge of Chief Administrator of the SJTA.
The Government appointed retired IAS officer R Balakrishnan as the Chief Adviser to the Chief Minister Office (CMO), a post created for the first time.
After retirement from services in November, 2018, Balakrishnan was appointed as Chief Adviser, Special Initiatives of the State Government.
The new appointments would be effected from August 19 (Monday) the day outgoing Chief Secretary will demit office.