THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, FEBRUARY 5, 2026

The Odisha Government has effected a major reshuffle involving more than a dozen senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, reassigning key portfolios to strengthen governance and improve coordination across critical departments.

 

According to a notification issued by the General Administration and Public Grievance Department on Thursday, Development Commissioner Deoranjan Kumar Singh will continue to hold additional charge as Additional Chief Secretary to the Steel and Mines Department.

Surendra Kumar, earlier ACS in Steel and Mines with additional responsibilities in General Administration and Parliamentary Affairs, has been appointed Additional Chief Secretary to the General Administration and Public Grievance Department, while retaining his Parliamentary Affairs portfolio.

Bishnupada Sethi, Officer on Special Duty in the GA&PG Department, has been appointed Chairman of the Odisha Forest Development Corporation and will also serve as Chief Administrator of KBK.

Chithra Arumugam, Additional Chief Secretary in Labour and ESI with additional charge of Science and Technology, has been entrusted with the role of Director General of Training Coordination at the Gopabandhu Academy of Administration.

Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee has been shifted from Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment to take over as Additional Chief Secretary in Revenue and Disaster Management, while continuing as Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration in Puri.

Usha Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary in Housing and Urban Development, has been given additional charge as Chairperson of the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco).

Suresh Kumar Vashishth has moved from Fisheries and Animal Resources Development to become Principal Secretary in Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.

Shubha Sarma has been posted as Principal Secretary in Water Resources. NBS Rajput has been appointed Principal Secretary in Commerce and Transport while continuing as Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation.

Girish S N, Commissioner-cum-Secretary in Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, has been given additional charge as Chairman of the Odisha Mining Corporation.

Dr Mrinalini Darswal has returned from New Delhi as Special Resident Commissioner to take charge as Commissioner-cum-Secretary in Women and Child Development.

Rajesh Prabhakar Patil will continue as Commissioner-cum-Secretary in Co-operation, Chairman of the Odisha State Warehousing Corporation, Special Relief Commissioner and Managing Director of the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority.

Balwant Singh, Commissioner-cum-Secretary in Tourism, has been given additional charge as Managing Director of the Odisha State Highway Authority.

Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav has been shifted to Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment as Commissioner-cum-Secretary, while retaining his charge of Sports and Youth Services.

Sudhansu Mohan Samal, Managing Director of the Odisha Mining Corporation, has been given additional charge as Revenue Divisional Commissioner of the Central Division at Cuttack.

Rashmita Panda has been appointed Vice Chairperson of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), and will also hold additional charges as Managing Director of Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited and Special Secretary in Housing and Urban Development.

Md Sadique Alam, Director of Fisheries, has been appointed Commissioner-cum-Secretary in Public Enterprises, along with additional charge as Managing Director of Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT).

Mansi Nimbhal, Managing Director of the Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation, has been posted as Commissioner-cum-Secretary in Mission Shakti, while Prem Chandra Chaudhary, Director of Textiles and Handlooms, has taken charge as Commissioner-cum-Secretary in Fisheries and Animal Resources Development.

Anupam Saha, Additional Secretary to the Chief Minister, has been given additional charge as Managing Director of the Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation.

In another key move, Sangram Keshari Mohapatra, Revenue Divisional Commissioner of the Southern Division, has been entrusted with additional in-charge responsibilities of the Northern Division and as Chairman of the Western Odisha Development Council.