In a major reshuffle in the top level of bureaucracy, the Odisha government today appointed senior IAS officer Asit Kumar Tripathy as the new Chief Secretary of the state.
Mr Tripathy will succeed Aditya Prasad Padhi, who has been appointed as the State Election Commissioner after he opted VRS from the job.
Tripathy, a 1986 batch IAS officer was holding the post of Development Commissioner as well as Additional Chief Secretary of Home, Chief Administrator KBK and Secretary Planning and Convergence.
Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, also 1986 batch IAS officer who was serving as Additional Chief Secretary Forest and Environment has been appointed as Development Commissioner in place of Mr Tripathy with an additional charge of the chairperson of the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration(SJTA). Mohapatra had earlier served as the Chief Administrator of the SJTA.
Additional Chief Secretary School and Mass education and also the Chief Administrator of SJTA Pradeepta Kumar Mohapatra have been appointed as the Agricultural Production Commissioner (APC).
A release from the CMO here said the new appointment order will be made effective from August 19 next.
Senior IAS officer and Works Secretary Krishan Kumar have been given additional charge of Chief Administrator of SJTA replacing Pradeepta Kumar Mohapatra.
Retired IAS officer R Balkrishnan who was appointed as Chief advisor Special Initiative after his retirement, will now work as Chief Advisor to the Chief Minister’s Office(CMO).
Asit Kumar Tripathy new Chief Secretary of Odisha
