In a major bureaucratic reshuffle aimed at strengthening governance and improving administrative efficiency, the Chhattisgarh government has transferred 43 IAS officers and made sweeping changes across key departments and district administrations.
The reshuffle, ordered by the Vishnu Deo Sai-led government from Mahanadi Bhawan in Nava Raipur, includes appointments at the levels of Additional Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Secretaries, Commissioners, and District Collectors.
Major Changes in Top Bureaucracy
Among the key appointments, senior IAS officer Richa Sharma has been appointed as Additional Chief Secretary of the Panchayat and Rural Development Department, while Manoj Kumar Pingua has been assigned charge of the Forest and Climate Change Department.
IAS officer Niharika Barik has been appointed Principal Secretary of the Home and Jails Department, one of the state’s most crucial administrative portfolios.
Senior officer Shahla Nigar has been given additional charge of the Social Welfare Department along with Women and Child Development.
Important Departmental Reassignments
Several senior officers have been moved to strategically important departments as part of the administrative overhaul.
- Dr Rohit Yadav has been appointed Secretary, Finance Department.
- Kamalpreet Singh will now head the School Education Department.
- Pardeshi Siddharth Komal has been posted as Agriculture Production Commissioner and assigned the Agriculture Department.
- Subodh Kumar Singh has been appointed Principal Secretary of the Energy Department and Chairman of Chhattisgarh State Power Company.
Other major postings include:
- Mukesh Kumar Bansal – Public Works and Commercial Taxes Department (excluding excise and registration)
- R Sangeetha – Urban Administration and Development Department
- Shammi Abidi – Revenue and Disaster Management Department
- S Bharathidasan – Tourism, Culture and Endowments Department
Seven District Collectors Replaced
The reshuffle has also brought major changes at the district level, with seven districts getting new Collectors.
The newly appointed District Collectors are:
- Vishwadeep – Collector, Bijapur
- Pushpa Sahu – Collector, Koriya
- Santosh Kumar Dewangan – Collector, Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi
- Chandan Sanjay Tripathi – Collector, Balrampur-Ramanujganj
- Santan Devi Jangde – Collector, Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur
- Reena Jamil – Collector, Surajpur
- Padmini Bhoi Sahu – Collector, Sarangarh-Bilaigarh
Changes in Raipur and Urban Administration
Senior IAS officer Shyam Lal Dhawade has been appointed Commissioner of Raipur Division, while Sambit Mishra has been posted as Commissioner of Raipur Municipal Corporation.
Key Institutional and Commission-Level Appointments
The state government has also made important appointments in commissions and institutions:
- Rahul Venkat – Secretary, Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission
- Rita Yadav – Secretary, Board of Secondary Education
- Sanjay Kannauje – Director, Culture
- Saransh Mittar – Chief Executive Officer, CREDA
- Padum Singh Elma – Commissioner, Excise
Additional Responsibilities Assigned
Several officers have also been given additional responsibilities to improve coordination across departments:
- Mohammad Kaiser Abdulhaq will additionally serve as Mission Director, Jal Jeevan Mission.
- Avinash Champawat has been given additional charge of Higher Education.
- Sanjeev Kumar Jha will also serve as Managing Director, National Health Mission.
- Rishabh Kumar Parashar has been appointed Director, Budget and Local Fund Audit.
Focus on Governance and Administrative Efficiency
Officials said the large-scale reshuffle has been undertaken to improve administrative efficiency, strengthen district-level governance, enhance coordination among departments, and accelerate implementation of welfare schemes across the state.
The extensive transfers indicate the Chhattisgarh government’s intent to bring fresh administrative energy and tighter governance oversight across both field administration and key policy departments.