Major administrative reshuffle in Punjab; 64 IAS, PCS officers transferred, 6 DCs changed
Ruchika M Khanna
Chandigarh, May 21
In a major administrative reshuffle affected late tonight, Punjab government has transferred 64 IAS and PCS officers, including changing deputy commissioners of six districts.
Amongst the 39 IAS officers issued transfer orders tonight, KAP Sinha has been given the additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, besides continuing to work as the Additional Chief Secretary Revenue. It was recently that Sumer Singh Gurjar had been posted as Principal Secretary in Agriculture and Farmers Welfare department. Gurjar is now posted as Principal Secretary Removal of Grievances.
Besides Sinha, the other officer getting more assignments is Anurag Verma, who besides holding on to his charge as head of Home Affairs and Justice department, has also got important assignment in Industries; Information Technology; and Investment Promotion departments. These charges were with Dilip Kumar, who will now go to department of NRI Affairs. Industries department has also got a new director in Puneet Goyal.
Both Sinha and Verma are believed to be amongst front runners in the race for Chief Secretary, after the incumbent Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua retires in June.
Some of the officers who had been without any posting for past several months have been assigned roles in today’s orders. Ajoy Sharma has been appointed as Secretary in Local Government department; Tanu Kashyap as Secretary Home Affairs and Justice, besides getting charge as Additional Resident Commissioner Delhi; and, Gaggandip Singh Brar is Secretary Freedom Fighters. Alaknanda Dayal too has got a posting as Secretary Revenue and Rehabilitation.
Another officer, Shruti Singh, awaiting posting orders has been given charge as Secretary Revenue and Rehabilitation.
The six districts to get new deputy commissioners are: Vineet Kumar shifted as DC Faridkot from Muktsar, swapping places with Ruhee Dugg; DC Mansa Baldeep Kaur has swapped places with Rishi Pal Singh, DC of Tarn Taran; Amit Talwar is the new DC of Amritsar while Kapurthala DC Vishesh Sarangal goes to Jalandhar. Karnail Singh is the new DC of Kapurthala. Even the Public Relations department has got a new Director in Bhupinder Singh.
There is a substantial change in officers posted in Education department, with Jaspreet Talwar being replaced by Seema jain as Additional Chief Secretary School Education. Talwar will continue to head Higher Education department. Rupanjali Kartik is posted as Special Secretary School Education, while IFS officer Churchill Kumar has been posted as Special Secretary School Education.
