IAS Saswata Mishra Appointed Principal Secretary To Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi

Bhubaneswar: In a major administrative reshuffle, the Odisha government has appointed senior IAS officer Saswata Mishra as the Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The appointment was made official through a notification issued by the General Administration & Public Grievance Department on Sunday. Mishra, currently serving as Principal Secretary to the Finance Department and Chairman of the Industrial Development Corporation of Odisha (IDCO), will take on his new role while retaining his additional charges.

Saswata Mishra, a 1996-batch IAS officer, brings a wealth of experience to his new role. As Principal Secretary to the Finance Department, he has played a crucial role in shaping the state's financial policies. 

IAS Mishra's appointment comes at a critical juncture, following the departure of senior Odisha cadre IAS officer Nikunja Bihari Dhal, who was serving as Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister. Dhal has proceeded on central deputation and has been posted as Secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs after approval by the Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet (ACC). The vacancy created by Dhal's move has now been filled by Mishra.

In addition to Mishra's appointment, the Odisha government has made other key postings. 

Senior IPS officer SK Priyadarshi has been given overall charge of the General Police Arrangement regarding Rath Yatra and related rituals/celebrations/festivals of Lord Sri Jagannath at Puri 2025. Furthermore, IAS officer Aravind Agrawal, a former Puri collector, has been appointed as overall in-charge of Rath Yatra, while IPS officer Soumendra Priyadarshi will oversee police arrangements in the pilgrim town during the festival.

The appointments are part of a larger administrative shake-up following the Saradhabali stampede, which resulted in the loss of three lives. 

The government has taken steps to fix accountability and ensure smooth conduct of the remaining rituals, including Adapa Bije, Bahuda, and Suna Besha. Puri Collector Vinit Agrawal and SP Siddharth Shankar Swain have been transferred, and DCP Vishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi have been suspended.