Bhubaneswar: IAS officer Manoj Ahuja Sunday took charge as Chief Secretary of Odisha at Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar.
In addition to serving as a Chief Secretary, Ahuja will also serve as Secretary to the General Administration and Public Grievance Department, a source said.
Ahuja took charge from Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena.
The previous government had extended the tenure of Jena, who was slated to retire from services December 31, 2023, by six months till June 30.
“I relinquished charge of @SecyChief today at 3.30pm. I welcome Manoj Ahuja one of my good friends from the 1990 batch ( from my Kalahandi days) my successor Subcollector Dharamgarh & I’m happy to have been succeeded by him today to hold the post of @SecyChief. Wish him all the best,” wrote Jena on X.
I relinquished charge of @SecyChief today at 3.30pm. I welcome Manoj Ahuja one of my good friends from 1990 batch ( from my Kalahandi days) my successor Subcollector Dharamgarh & l’m happy to have been succeeded by him today to hold the post of @SecyChief. Wish him all the best.
— Pradeep Jena IAS (@PradeepJenaIAS) June 30, 2024
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved Ahuja’s return to Odisha June 25, following the state government’s request.
Ahuja was serving on central deputation, holding the position of secretary in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare since April 1, 2022.
Prior to that, he was the OSD in the same department, chairman of CBSE and special director of Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Musoorie.
PNN & Agencies