The West Bengal government on Tuesday transferred and appointed 18 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers to key positions across various departments. This marks the first significant administrative reshuffle of secretary-level officers since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed the government on May 9. The reshuffle encompassed departments such as food and supplies, transport, women and child development, land and land reforms, labour, irrigation, public health engineering (PHE), and information and cultural affairs, among others.
Key Appointments and Transfers
Nandini Chakravorty, previously serving as the principal coordinator of development work in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), has been elevated to the position of additional chief secretary of the science and technology and biotechnology department. She will also hold an additional charge as additional chief secretary of the housing department. Jagdish Prasad Meena, who was the secretary of the women and child development and social welfare department, has been appointed as the secretary of the food and supplies department. Ravi Inder Singh, formerly the principal secretary of the self-help group and self-employment department, now takes over as the principal secretary of the transport department.
Additional Charges and New Roles
Saumitra Mohan will continue as the secretary to the governor, but with an additional charge as secretary of the information and cultural affairs department. Surendra Gupta, previously the divisional commissioner of the presidency division, has been appointed as the principal secretary of the land and land reforms and refugee relief and rehabilitation departments. Rajeev Kumar has been made the principal secretary of the technical education, training and skill development department, while Moumita Godara Basu takes over as the secretary of the women and child development and social welfare department.
Among other changes, Rachna Bhagat has been appointed as the secretary of the labour department, Mukta Arya as the secretary of the Sundarbans affairs department, and Rajesh Kumar Sinha as the principal secretary of the irrigation and waterways department. The reshuffle also sees Randhir Kumar taking charge as the secretary of the PHE department, with additional responsibility in the finance department, and Raju Mishra becoming the new excise commissioner.
Further Appointments
Rajesh Pandey, who was the additional chief secretary of the MSME and textiles department, has been posted as the additional chief secretary of the youth services and sports department. R Vimala has been appointed as the secretary of the north Bengal development department. Parwez Ahmad Siddiqui, formerly the principal secretary of the food and supplies department, has been made the principal secretary of the state gazetteers. Anoop Kumar Agarwal is now the additional chief secretary of the department of personnel and administrative reforms and the MSME and textiles department.
Additionally, Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Neelam Meena will take the additional charge of principal secretary of the environment department. Principal Resident Commissioner Dushyant Nariala will take the additional charge of the director general of the Netaji Subhas Administrative Training Institute (NSATI) and chairman of the Swami Vivekananda National Institute of Training and Research (SNTCSSC).
