IAS reshuffle by new Odisha govt gets rid of overstaying officers 

With nearly a month after assuming the office, the Mohan Majhi-led BJP government has transferred the blue-eyed officers of the former BJD-led government. G. Mathivathanan and R. Vineel Krishna are two notable officers who were considered as most influential in the previous govt.
 

G. Mathivathanan had been the secretary of the Housing and Urban Development department for 10 years. The new BJP government appointed him as the Director General, Training Coordination of the Gopabandhu Academy of Administration. This apart, he has been stripped of the post of the Additional Chief Secretary of the Parliamentary Affairs Department. 

In his place, Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary of SD & TE Department with the additional charge of Principal Secretary of C & T Department, is permitted to retain additional charge as Principal Secretary of Housing & Urban Development Department.

Similarly, R Vineel Krishna has been removed from the posts of Special Secretary to the CM and Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Sports & YS Department and appointed as the Commissioner of the Land Records & Settlement. 

He has been replaced by Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma as the Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Sports & YS Department. 

Another influential officer is Vishal Kumar Dev, who has been transferred from the post of Principal Secretary of Finance Department and appointed as the Principal Secretary of E & IT Department.

What the former Chief Secretary said 

Former Chief Secretary Sahadev Sahoo said the transfer of the official is not action against them. 

“Mere exchange of posts is not a solution. What is needed is an exchange of posts with action. The mentality of the officers won’t change if action is not taken against them. The officers of the future will also come to know about it,” said Sahoo. 

Moreover, an additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, Nikunja Bihari Dhal has been given an additional charge as Chairman, IDCO, Bhubaneswar. Additional Chief Secretary of GA & PG Department with additional charge as Additional Chief Secretary of Tourism Department, Surendra Kumar has been permitted to continue as Additional Chief Secretary of Parliamentary Affairs Department. 

Similarly, Saswat Mishra, Principal Secretary to Governor, with the additional charge of Chairman, OSSSC, has been permitted to retain additional charge as Principal Secretary of the Finance Department and Principal Secretary of the Energy Department.

Furthermore, Hemant Sharma, the Principal Secretary of the Industries Department, with additional charge of Chairman, IPICOL, has been permitted to retain additional charge as Principal Secretary of the MS & ME Department.

What Political analyst Rabi Das said 

Political analyst Rabi Das said the BJP government has started the operation to get rid of the officer-raj blot of its predecessor. 

“In the first IAS reshuffle effected by the BJP government, some of the officers with unprecedented influence under the clout of VK Pandian have been transferred. This should be carried out at district and block levels as well. If action is not taken against them for misuse of power, the message that the government has changed won’t go out to the people,” observed Das.