Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday ordered a major bureaucratic reshuffle, transferring and posting 49 officers, including 42 IAS officers, with the changes covering the post of Jammu divisional commissioner.
Among the notable transfers is the posting of Vikas Kundal as Jammu divisional commissioner in place of Ramesh Kumar.
Deputy commissioners of eight districts have also been transferred in one of the biggest administrative reshuffle of this year.
Kundal, a 2013 batch AGMUT officer, has been transferred from his post as Chairman, J-K Services Selection Board and posted as Jammu divisional commissioner. He is also assigned the additional charge of additional CEO, Jammu Metropolitan Regional Development Authority, an order issued by General Administration Department said.
Kundal replaces Kumar, who has been transferred and posted as secretary to the government, Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj after serving as divisional commissioner, Jammu since May 2022.
Kumar, however, will also hold additional charge of Administrative Secretary, Culture Department, while continuing as Resident Commissioner, J-K Government, New Delhi.
The order also brings significant changes at the district level, with nine deputy commissioner-level postings affected.
Rakesh Minhas has been moved out as deputy commissioner, Jammu, and was replaced by Minga Sherpa, who was deputy commissioner, Udhampur, while JMC commissioner Devansh Yadav has been posted as deputy commissioner, Rajouri, replacing Abhishek Sharma, who has been shifted as deputy commissioner, Kupwara.
Shrikant Balasaheb Suse has been transferred from Kupwara and posted as chairman, J-K Services Selection Board.
In other changes, Jatin Kishore has been moved from Ganderbal to become deputy commissioner, Budgam, while Athar Aamir Ul Shafi Khan has been shifted from Budgam as Managing Director, National Health Mission, J-K.
Rupesh Kumar has been posted as deputy commissioner, Samba, replacing Ayushi Sudan who has been transferred as Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC). Ananth Dwivedi has been posted as deputy commissioner, Udhampur.
At Ganderbal, Shreya Singhal has been posted as deputy commissioner, replacing Jatin Kishore. Kuldeep Krishan Sidha has been posted as deputy commissioner, Pulwama, replacing Basharat Qayoom who has been transferred as Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation.
Charandeep Singh has been posted as deputy commissioner, Shopian.
At the senior administrative level, Shaleen Kabra, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Jal Shakti Department has been assigned the additional charge of Administrative Secretary, Revenue Department, relieving Kumar Rajeev Ranjan of the charge.
Ashish Chandra Verma, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Tourism Department, has been transferred as Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Agriculture Production Department.
M Raju, Commissioner Secretary to the government, General Administration Department, has been divested of the additional charge of the Health and Medical Education Department. He will now hold additional charge of Hospitality and Protocol as well as Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction.
Saugat Biswas has been posted as Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department.
In another key change, R Alice Vaz, has been transferred as Commissioner Secretary, Transport Department. She will also hold additional charge of Civil Aviation Department and Commissioner, Civil Aviation, while continuing to oversee the Information Department.
Sarmad Hafeez has been shifted from Social Welfare to Youth Services and Sports Department.
The reshuffle also sees Avny Lavasa moving from the Transport Department to Tourism Department, while continuing to hold charge of Tribal Affairs. Anjali Sehrawat, has been posted as Secretary, Public Grievances Department, after being transferred from the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Among other significant postings, Rahul Yadav has been appointed administrative secretary, Information Technology Department, while continuing as Managing Director, J-K Power Development Corporation Limited. Owais Ahmed has been posted as administrative secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department, while retaining additional charge as director, Skill Development, J-K.
At the field-administration level, Faz Lul Haseeb has been shifted from Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, and posted as additional secretary, Agriculture Production Department, with additional charge of Mission Director, HADP and JKCIP.
Mamta Yadav, awaiting orders of posting in GAD, was posted as director information department.
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