Ranchi: The Jharkhand government has undertaken a major bureaucratic reshuffle, transferring more than two dozen IAS officers just months ahead of the Assembly elections. One of the most significant changes involves Nitin Madan Kulkarni, who has been replaced by Vipra Bhal as the Principal Secretary to the Governor at Raj Bhavan. Bhal, a 2006-batch IAS officer previously serving as Secretary of the Information Technology and E-Governance Department, will now take on the role of Principal Secretary to the Governor, as per a notification issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms on the night of August 10th.

Kulkarni has been reassigned as the Principal Secretary of the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Cooperative Department. Other notable transfers include Mast Ram Meena, who will now serve as the Principal Secretary of both the Planning and Development Department and the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department. Sunil Kumar will continue his role as Principal Secretary of the Road Construction Department while also managing additional responsibilities, including those of the Urban Development and Housing Department, JUICO, and the Greater Ranchi Development Agency.

Amitabh Kaushal, currently the Secretary of the Food, Public Distribution, and Consumer Affairs Department, has been appointed as Secretary of the Information Technology and E-Governance Department. He will also retain his additional charge as Secretary of the Commercial Tax Department in Ranchi. Manish Ranjan, previously Secretary of the Building Construction Department, will now serve as Director of the Administrative Training Institute in Ranchi.

Rajesh Kumar Sharma has been transferred from the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department to the Disaster Management Department as Secretary. Meanwhile, Abu Bakr Siddiqui has been appointed as Secretary of the Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Department, moving from his previous position in the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Cooperative Department.

In other significant changes, Manoj Kumar will continue to oversee the Child Development and Social Security Department, with added responsibilities in the Excise and Prohibition Department. Arwa Rajkamal, previously Secretary to the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, will now serve as Secretary of the Building Construction Department, along with additional roles as Managing Director of the Jharkhand State Building Construction Corporation Limited and Resident Commissioner at Jharkhand Bhawan, New Delhi.

Further, Jitendra Kumar Singh will take on additional duties as Secretary of the Industries Department, alongside his current role as Secretary of the Mines and Geology Department. Uma Shankar Singh will manage both the School Education and Literacy Department and the Food, Public Distribution, and Consumer Affairs Department.

Other key appointments include Amit Kumar as the new Commercial Tax Commissioner and Manjunath Bhajantri as Chief Executive Officer of the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society, with additional responsibilities as MNREGA Commissioner. Amit Prakash, currently Special Secretary of the Labour, Planning, Training, and Skill Development Department, has been named Excise Commissioner.

Sandeep Singh has been appointed as Municipal Commissioner of Ranchi, while Shailendra Kumar Lal will serve as Mission Director-cum-Chief Executive Officer of the Jharkhand Skill Development Mission Society. Sunil Kumar Singh, previously Excise Commissioner, will now work as Additional Secretary of the Labour, Planning, Training, and Skill Development Department.

Among the newly posted officials, Ananya Mittal will serve as both Deputy Commissioner of East Singhbhum, Jamshedpur, and Administrator of the Subarnarekha Project. Sameera S has been appointed Director-cum-Member Secretary of the Jharkhand State Child Protection Institute, with additional roles including Director General of the State Nutrition Mission and Chief Executive Officer of the Jharkhand State Watershed Mission. Ravi Anand has been assigned as Joint Secretary in the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, while Deepak Kumar Dubey will now serve as Joint Secretary in the Urban Development and Housing Department.

Saurabh Kumar Bhuwania has been appointed Joint Secretary in the Finance Department, and Alok Kumar will serve as Joint Secretary in the Home, Jail, and Disaster Management Department. Lastly, Shatabdi Majumdar has been appointed as Under Secretary in the Finance Department, Jharkhand, Ranchi. /BI