Bureaucracy – Rajasthan Government Orders Major Late-Night Officer Reshuffle
Bureaucracy – In a significant administrative overhaul, the Rajasthan government issued a late-night order on Thursday transferring 25 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers along with 9 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers. The move is being viewed as part of an ongoing effort to reorganize key departments and streamline governance across the state.
Key Changes in Chief Minister’s Office and Senior Roles
Akhil Arora, who was serving as Additional Chief Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), has now been relieved of his additional responsibilities in the Public Health Engineering Department. He will continue to function solely within the CMO, indicating a possible strengthening of administrative coordination at the highest level.
Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary Praveen Gupta has been relieved of his role in the Tourism Department. In another notable change, Aparna Arora has been shifted from the Social Justice and Empowerment Department and entrusted with crucial departments such as Mines and Petroleum, signaling a shift in responsibility toward sectors with economic significance.
Leadership Changes Across Departments
Ajitabh Sharma, who previously headed the Energy Department, has been appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Revenue. This change replaces Hemant Kumar, who has now been reassigned as Principal Secretary in the Public Health Engineering Department.
In the environmental administration, Alok Gupta has been moved from his role as Chairman of the Pollution Control Board to the Urban Development Department. Taking his place, Debasish Pruthy has been appointed as the new Chairman, marking a shift in leadership within the state’s environmental regulatory body.
Education and Administrative Appointments
Rajesh Kumar Yadav, who was serving as Director General of the Harish Chandra Mathur Rajasthan State Institute of Public Administration, has now been given the role of Additional Chief Secretary for both School Education and Sanskrit Education departments. This move places him in charge of key educational reforms and policy execution.
Further administrative appointments include V Saravana Kumar as the Divisional Commissioner of Jaipur, a critical post overseeing governance in the state capital region. Anandi has been assigned the role of Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, while Aarti Dogra, currently Chairperson of DISCOMs, has been given the additional responsibility of Energy Secretary.
Poonam, who was earlier serving as Jaipur Divisional Commissioner, has now been transferred to the Women and Child Development Department as Secretary, indicating a reshuffling of experienced officers into social sector roles.
Police Administration Also Witnesses Changes
The reshuffle is not limited to civil administration. Nine IPS officers have also been transferred as part of this order. These changes are expected to impact law enforcement leadership across multiple districts, although detailed postings were not elaborated in the announcement.
Background and Political Context
This latest reshuffle comes amid ongoing administrative adjustments in the state. Speculation about a major reorganization had been growing since the conclusion of the recent Legislative Assembly session. Earlier this month, on March 14, the government had already transferred 64 IPS officers, including several district-level Superintendents of Police.
Observers suggest that the latest changes carry added significance given recent criticism that governance in Rajasthan had become heavily bureaucrat-driven. Following the transfer of Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant to Delhi, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma is believed to be recalibrating administrative control and reinforcing leadership within key departments.
More Changes Likely Soon
Sources within the administration indicate that this reshuffle may not be the last. Another list of transfers, particularly involving District Collectors, is expected to be released in the coming days. If confirmed, it would further underline the government’s intent to reorganize its administrative machinery comprehensively.