Rajasthan govt transfers over 100 IAS officers in major bureaucratic reshuffle

In a major bureaucratic reshuffle, the Rajasthan government has appointed Rajeeva Swarup as the new chief secretary, replacing D B Gupta, and has transferred over 100 IAS officers.

The government late on Thursday night released a list of 103 IAS officers who were being transferred, in which Health Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh was given the charge of home secretary that Swarup was holding earlier.

Principal Secretary Akhil Arora has been tasked to handle the Medical and Health Department amid the COVID-19 crisis.

As per the list, three additional chief secretaries, five divisional commissioners and 15 collectors are among those transferred.

The transfer list does not mention about D B Gupta's new posting being replaced by his contemporary is not clear even as the transfer list does not mention about his new posting.

Gupta's retirement was due in September this year whereas Swarup would retire in October.

Sources said that Swarup and Rohit Kumar Singh have been given the new charge on the basis of their management of the coronavirus situation.

Subodh Agarwal, Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) is now ACS (Mines and Petroleum Department). Naresh Pal Gangwar will replace Agarwal as principal secretary (industries).

Bundi District Collector Antar Singh Nehra is the new Jaipur collector, replacing Joga Ram who has been appointed commissioner, Excise Department.

ACS R Venkateshwaran, who was ACS (Reforms and Coordination Department) has been appointed as the chairman of the Rajasthan Revenue Board.

T Ravikant, who was the commissioner of Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) has been given the charge of secretary, finance (budget). He has been replaced by Gaurav Goyal as the new JDA commissioner.

Nagaur Collector Dinesh Yadav has been made commissioner, Jaipur Greater Nagar Nigam and Lok Bandhu has been made commissioner, Jaipur Heritage.

Shreya Guha has been removed from the Tourism Department and will now hold the position of principal secretary, forest and environment.

Guha had some differences with Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh, the sources said.

Panchayati Raj Special Secretary Arushi Malik has been appointed divisional commissioner, Ajmer.

The sources said a turf war between ACS (Rural Development and Panchayati Raj) Rajeshwar Singh and Malik had been going on for some time.

Other divisional commissioners include Somnath Mishra (Jaipur), Samit Sharma (Jodhpur), Bhanwar Lal Mehra (Bikaner) and Prem Chand Berwal (Bharatpur).

Siddharth Mahajan will be the new secretary and commissioner, Panchayati Raj Department.

Meanwhile, Kunji Lal Meena, principal secretary mines and petroleum will now be principal secretary, Agriculture Department.