In a significant administrative overhaul, the Bihar government on Tuesday announced a major reshuffle affecting senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers across the state. The move involved posting two officers who were awaiting assignment and reassigning 16 others to new roles spanning key departments and ranks.
Key Appointments and Postings
Sanjeev Hans, a senior IAS officer who was recently reinstated after his suspension was withdrawn, has been appointed as an additional member of the Board of Revenue. Hans had been in judicial custody for nearly a year in connection with a money laundering and corruption case before being freed.
Another prominent posting saw Vinay Kumar being named the principal secretary of the Urban Development and Housing Department.
Major Departmental Shifts
The reshuffle saw several high-profile transfers. N Vijayalakshmi, who was the additional chief secretary for the Dairy, Fishery and Animal Resources Department, has been moved to the Planning and Development Department in the same capacity. She will also take on the additional roles of Planning Board Secretary and Project Director of the Bihar Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Society.
To fill her previous position, Shirshat Kapil Ashok, the Managing Director of the Bihar State Road Development Corporation, has been given additional charge as Secretary of the Dairy, Fishery and Animal Resources Department.
Other notable transfers include K Senthil Kumar moving from Principal Secretary of Planning and Development to the Cane Industry Department. Pankaj Kumar, Principal Secretary of Agriculture, has been shifted to the Rural Development Department. He will retain his additional charge as Inquiry Commissioner in the General Administration Department (GAD).
Narmadeshwar Lal, formerly Principal Secretary of the Cane Industry Department, takes over the Agriculture Department and will also continue as an Inquiry Commissioner in the GAD.
Divisional Commissioners and Additional Charges
The reshuffle also affected divisional commissioner posts. Prem Singh Meena, an additional member of the Revenue Board, is now the Munger Division Commissioner. Manish Kumar, Secretary of the Dairy, Fishery and Animal Resources Department, moves to become Saran Division Commissioner. Giriwar Dayal Singh, Secretary of the Revenue Board, takes charge as Tirhut (Muzaffarpur) Division Commissioner.
The current Munger Division Commissioner, Awnish Kumar Singh, has been transferred to the Bhagalpur division.
Several officials were assigned additional departmental responsibilities. Sandeep Kumar R Pudkalkatti, Secretary of the Urban Development and Housing Department, is now also Secretary of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Welfare Department, with extra charges related to the Mahadalit Vikas Mission and a development corporation.
Mahendra Kumar, MD of the South Bihar Power Holding Distribution Company, will additionally serve as Special Secretary in the Sports Department. Nilesh Ramchandra Deware, Secretary of the Civil Aviation Department, gets additional charge of the Tourism Department.
Furthermore, Amit Kumar Pandey, Executive Director of the Bihar State Health Society, will take on the additional charge of MD of the Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation. Arif Ahsan, the State Transport Commissioner, will additionally serve as Sports Director.
This comprehensive administrative reshuffle by the Bihar government aims to streamline governance and fill crucial administrative positions across various state departments and divisions.
