This story is from August 17, 2019

Asit Tripathy named chief secretary of Odisha

Asit Tripathy named chief secretary of Odisha
BHUBANESWAR: Asit Kumar Tripathy has been appointed as the 43rd chief secretary of the state. The 1986-batch IAS officer, Tripathy will replace Aditya Prasad Padhi, who applied for voluntary retirement after governor Ganeshi Lal approved his appointment as the state election commissioner.
Currently, Tripathy is serving as the development commissioner with additional charges of the additional chief secretary of home department and chief administrator of the Koraput-Balangir-Kalahandi (KBK) region.

A native of Balangir district, Tripathy would be the 12th chief secretary to be working with chief minister Naveen Patnaik since March 5, 2000. “I am very happy. It’s a privilege for an IAS officer and a huge responsibility. The chief minister has clearly stressed on administrative priority in the state, which includes ensuring the implementation of all schemes meant for social justice with full integrity and transparency. In the growth area, I will work to increase the per capita income, ensure infrastructure development and employment generation,” said Tripathy after being appointed for the top job. He is likely to assume charge on August 19.
Tripathy, who holds a postgraduate and an M Phil degree in political science from JNU, has served in many key positions of the state government and the Centre. He started his career as the sub-collector of Talcher.
A sports enthusiast and a lawn-tennis player, Tripathy has taken several steps to streamline the promotion of officials working under the Odisha secretariat service cadre benefiting more than 1,000 subordinate employees. As the home secretary, Tripathy had taken the decision of delegating power to graduate constables and havildars to investigate petty offences, involving imprisonment up to three years.
Forest and environment secretary Suresh Mohapatra has been appointed as development commissioner. Mohapatra, yet another 1986-batch IAS officer, will also hold the additional charge of the working chairperson, Shri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Puri.

Senior bureaucrat Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra, who is currently serving as the school and mass education secretary and chief administrator, SJTA, has been posted as agriculture production commissioner (APC).
A statement from the general administration department said 1985-batch IAS officer Gagan Dhal, who is the incumbent APC, had on August 6 sought the permission of the chief secretary to resign from government service citing personal reasons, which is under the consideration of the state government.
Among others, retired IAS officer R Balakrishan, whom the state government had appointed as special adviser (special initiative) after his retirement from service in November last year, has been given another crucial position. Balakrishan has assumed charge as chief adviser in the chief minister’s office.
Besides, state works secretary Krishan Kumar has also been posted as chief administrator of SJTA.
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