Bhubaneswar: In a major reshuffle at the senior bureaucratic level, the Odisha Government today appointed IAS Bishnupada Sethi as the Officer on Special Duty, General Administration & Public Grievance Department.

The 1995 batch IAS officer currently works as Principal Secretary, Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department with additional charge of Principal Secretary, Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department and Principal Secretary, ST&SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department.

The notification of the General Administration and Public Grievance department stated, “The post of Officer on Special Duty, General Administration & Public Grievance Department is declared equivalent in status and responsibility to the post of Principal Secretary provided in the IAS Cadre of the State.”

Sethi was in news recently after the Central Bureau of Investigation summoned him in connection with a corruption case. However, the Senior IAS officer is yet to depose before the agency. He was called for an inquiry after his name came up as an alleged beneficiary in the bribery case.

The Government appointed 1997 batch IAS Sanieeb Kumar Mishra as Principal Secretary, ST&SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department.

Mishra will hold additional charge of Principal Secretary, Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department and Principal Secretary, Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department.

Mishra was repatriated from the Central deputation recently.

In another key decision, 2006 batch IAS Manoj Kumar Sahoo was appointed as the Special Secretary to the Chief Minister. Sahoo joined the Odisha Government on the lnter-Cadre Deputation.