IAS Manoj Sahoo new Private Secretary to Odisha CM

Odisha government on Saturday appointed senior IAS officer Manoj Kumar Sahoo as the Private Secretary to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

According to sources, the 2006 batch IAS officer will replace IAS Arindam Dakua.

“The post of Private Secretary to the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Odisha is declared equivalent in status and responsibility to the post of Special Secretary provided in the IAS Cadre of the State,” a notification issued by the General Administration and Public Grievance department read.

Earlier on Thursday, the Odisha government had effected a minor IAS reshuffle and transferred Dakua as the director of Municipal Administration and ex-officio additional secretary in the Housing and Urban Development department.

According to sources, Sahoo is an Arunachal Pradesh cadre IAS officer. However, the Odisha government had requested the centre to change his cadre and send him to Odisha on an Inter-cadre deputation for three years. 

Subsequently, Sahoo was sent to Odisha in December and assigned several responsibilities. After coming to office he was posted as a special secretary at the Chief Minister’s office.

Sahoo is believed to play a crucial role in implementing various welfare schemes of the Odisha government at the ground zero, sources informed.