Pradeep Kumar Jena appointed new Chief Secretary of Odisha

Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena has been appointed as the next Chief Secretary of Odisha. He will replace Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, who is retiring on February 28. 

Issuing a notification, the General Administration and Public Grievance Department on Sunday informed the development. 

Jena is presently serving as Development Commissioner-cum- Additional Chief Secretary (DC-cum-ACS) and Secretary to the Government, Planning and Convergence Department with additional charge of Agriculture Production Commissioner, Odisha; Special Relief Commissioner and MD of the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA). 

He has been appointed as the Chief Secretary and Chief Development Commissioner, Odisha and Secretary to the Government, General Administration and Public Grievance Department. 

Born in Dhenkanal district on January 1, 1964, the 1989 batch IAS officer started his career as the Sub Collector of Dharmagarh in Kalahandi district. Later he was appointed as the Kalahandi district Collector.  

His tenure as the Chief Administrator of Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) also needs special mention. 

Jena is also known for his effective management of natural calamities the State witnessed during his four-year tenure as the Special Relief Commissioner. Worth mentioning, during the 1999 Super Cyclone, he was the Collector of Cuttack district.

This apart, the notification also announced that Anu Garg, who is presently serving as the Additional Chief Secretary to the Government, Department of Water Resources,  has been appointed as the next Development Commissioner-cum- Additional Chief Secretary (DC-cum-ACS) and Secretary to the Government, Planning and Convergence Department. 

She is allowed to remain in charge of Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Department of Water Resources, stated the notification. 

The orders will come into effect from 1 March 2023, the notification stated.

Notably, the State Government had extended the tenure of Suresh Chandra Mohapatra twice by six months each after his retirement in 2022.