Shimla, July 10
In a major bureaucratic reshuffle, the Himachal Pradesh government on Friday transferred and reassigned 17 IAS officers, effecting significant changes in key departments including Transport, Industries, Finance, Health, Urban Development, Tourism and Personnel. The transfers were ordered by the Governor on the recommendations of the Civil Services Board and took immediate effect.
Among the prominent changes, Onkar Chand Sharma (IAS 1994), Additional Chief Secretary (Tribal Development), has been given the additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary (Transport). Rawther Dawood Nazeem (IAS 1995), Additional Chief Secretary (Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs), has been entrusted with the additional responsibilities of Industries and Transport, while Kamlesh Kumar Pant and Rakesh Kanwar have been relieved of their additional charges.
Devesh Kumar (IAS 1998) will now function as Principal Secretary (Finance, Planning, Economics & Statistics and 20-Point Programme) and will also hold the additional charge of Animal Husbandry, while continuing to oversee the Public Works Department. M. Sudha Devi (IAS 2003) has been appointed Principal Secretary (Forest and Industries) and will continue to hold the Personnel portfolio.
Priyanka Basu Ingty (IAS 2004) has been assigned the additional charge of Secretary (Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs), while Ashish Singmar (IAS 2008) has been entrusted with multiple additional responsibilities, including General Administration Department (GAD), Animal Husbandry, Health & Family Welfare, besides his existing portfolios.
The reshuffle also elevates Dr. Yunus (IAS 2010) as Secretary (State Taxes & Excise), while Sandeep Kumar (IAS 2010) takes over as Secretary (Tourism & Civil Aviation). Amarjeet Singh (IAS 2010) has been assigned the additional charge of Urban Development, and Vivek Bhatia (IAS 2011) will additionally serve as Director, Industries. Rakesh Kumar Prajapati (IAS 2012) has been appointed Director, Tourism & Civil Aviation, relieving Vivek Bhatia of the charge.
Further, Dr. Ashwani Kumar Sharma (IAS 2014) has been appointed Commissioner, State Taxes & Excise, while Vivek Chandel (IAS 2018) takes over as Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Baddi. Dr. Madhu Chaudhary (IAS 2019) has been posted as Special Secretary (Health & Family Welfare) with the additional charge of CEO, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana.
Among the younger officers, Om Kant Thakur (IAS 2020) has been appointed Director-cum-Warden of Fisheries, Abhishek Kumar Garg (IAS 2020) will serve as Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (HPSIDC), and Gursimar Singh (IAS 2020) has been posted as Director, Technical Education, with the additional responsibility of Managing Director, HP Kaushal Vikas Nigam.
