Significant Changes in Administrative Leadership Across 20 Districts
On Wednesday, the Odisha government executed a sweeping reshuffle within its Indian Administrative Service (IAS) cadre, affecting 25 officials and impacting the administration of 20 districts. The General Administration & Public Grievance Department issued a notification late in the evening, detailing these significant changes aimed at revitalizing the state’s administrative framework.
Key Appointments and Transfers
Dr. Bijay Ketan Upadhyaya, a 2009-batch IAS officer previously serving as Secretary, Board of Revenue, Odisha, Cuttack, has been appointed as the Director of the Odia Language, Literature & Culture. This position is equivalent in status and responsibility to that of an Additional Secretary. Dr. Upadhyaya will also retain his additional role as Director of Odisha Paribar.
Ashish Thakare, a 2011-batch IAS officer and former Collector & DM of Balasore, is now appointed as Secretary, Board of Revenue, Odisha, Cuttack. His new role will involve overseeing revenue administration across the state.
Dilip Routrai, another 2011-batch IAS officer who was the Director of Odia Language, Literature & Culture, has been assigned as Collector & DM of Bhadrak. His transition marks a shift from cultural administration to district-level governance.
Kamal Lochan Mishra, also from the 2011 batch, previously serving as Collector & DM of Nabarangpur, has been appointed as Executive Director of the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority. This role, equivalent to an Additional Secretary, involves leading disaster management efforts across the state.
Nikhil Pavan Kalyan, a 2012-batch IAS officer and former Collector & DM of Jajpur, has been moved to Director of Soil Conservation and Watershed Development in Bhubaneswar. This new position focuses on soil and water conservation efforts, a critical area for the state’s environmental management.
Bijay Kumar Dash, a 2012-batch IAS officer, has been appointed as Collector & DM of Gajapati, moving from his previous role as Commissioner of Cuttack Municipal Corporation and Vice Chairman of the Cuttack Development Authority.
Smruti Ranjan Pradhan, another 2012-batch IAS officer, has been assigned as Collector & DM of Kendrapara, transitioning from his previous role as Collector & DM of Gajapati.
Swadha Dev Singh, a 2014-batch IAS officer who was the Collector & DM of Nayagarh, has been appointed as Additional Secretary to the Government in the PR & DW Department.
Parul Patawari, a 2015-batch IAS officer and State Project Director of OSEPA, has been moved to Collector & DM of Rayagada, while Amrit Ruturaj, also from the 2015 batch, will take over as Collector & DM of Kandhamal.
Siddeshwar Baliram Bondar, a 2016-batch IAS officer previously serving as Collector & DM of Bhadrak, is now appointed as Collector & DM of Sambalpur. Similarly, Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde, another 2016-batch officer, will be the new Collector & DM of Cuttack.
Hema Kanta Say, a 2017-batch IAS officer, will take on the role of Collector & DM of Mayurbhanj, moving from his previous position as Collector & DM of Nuapada. P. Anvesha Reddy, also from the 2017 batch, is appointed as Collector & DM of Jajpur, transitioning from Kalahandi.
Ashish Ishwar Patil, a 2017-batch IAS officer, will assume the role of Collector & DM of Malkangiri, replacing Somesh Kumar Upadhyay, who will now be the Collector & DM of Dhenkanal.
Dr. Subhankar Mohapatra, a 2018-batch IAS officer, has been appointed as Collector & DM of Nabarangpur, while Suryawanshi Mayur Vikas, from the same batch, will be the new Collector & DM of Balasore.
J Sonal, also from the 2018 batch, will take over as Collector & DM of Jagatsinghpur, replacing Pawar Sachin Prakash, a 2019-batch IAS officer who will now be the Collector & DM of Kalahandi.
Akshay Sunil Agrawal, a 2019-batch IAS officer, will serve as the Collector & DM of Nayagarh, while Manoj Satyawan Mahajan, also from the 2019 batch, will take on the role of Collector & DM of Sundargarh.
Kabindra Kumar Sahu, an OAS (SS) officer, has been transferred from Executive Director (Land) at Odisha Mining Corporation Ltd. to Collector & DM of Deogarh. Madhusudan Dash, another OAS (SS) officer, will now be the Collector & DM of Nuapada, moving from Special Secretary to Government in the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department.
Subrat Kumar Panda, an OAS (SS) officer, has been moved from Special Secretary to Government in the Rural Development Department to Collector & DM of Boudh.
This extensive reshuffle highlights the Odisha government’s effort to infuse new energy into its administrative structure and improve governance across various districts. With 20 districts receiving new leadership, the changes are expected to bring fresh perspectives and renewed focus on regional development, disaster management, and administrative efficiency.
(With inputs from agencies)
