Odisha govt appoints senior OAS officer Satrughna Kar as Town Planning Director

Senior OAS officer Satrughna Kar appointed as Odisha's Town Planning Director, continuing his role as Additional Secretary in H&UD Department, amidst urban growth challenges.

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Lok Seva Bhawan

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In a key administrative development, the Odisha government appointed senior Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer Satrughna Kar as the new Director of Town Planning.

Currently serving as Additional Secretary in the Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department, Kar will hold the post in addition to his existing responsibilities until further notice, read the official notification.

The Housing and Urban Development Department issued an official notification on Thursday confirming the appointment. The move is part of a broader reshuffle aimed at strengthening urban governance and planning mechanisms in the state.

Dual Charge for Key Officer

Satrughna Kar belongs to the Superior Administrative Grade (SAG) of the OAS cadre and has served in various administrative capacities within the state.

The appointment comes at a time when Odisha’s urban centres are witnessing rapid growth and increasing demand for sustainable infrastructure, better zoning policies, and integrated planning solutions.

Recent Promotions in OAS Cadre

The appointment also coincides with a broader promotion exercise in the OAS cadre earlier this week. 

The General Administration and Public Grievances Department promoted 15 OAS officers to higher ranks on an ad hoc basis, pending recommendations from the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC).

Seven officers in the Superior Administrative Grade were elevated to the post of Special Secretary (Level-17), including Soojata Mishra, Lipsa Das, Sambit Kumar Navak, Kalpataru Behera, Purna Chandra Mishra, Kailash Chandra Nayak, and Vedabandhu Mishra.

In a separate order, eight officers serving in the Supertime Scale were promoted to the SAG (Level-16). These include Prabir Kumar Khilar, Sailendra Kumar Jena, Rabinarayan Jethy, Ajambar Mohanty, Saroj Kumar Swain, Dr. Lalatendu Sahoo, Dandrabhanjan M.M. Patra, and Talat Aafreen.

The promotions have been made on an ad hoc basis for a period not exceeding one year or until the OPSC's formal recommendation or the concerned officer’s retirement, whichever comes earlier.

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