Gujarat Govt Reshuffles Top Bureaucracy, Pankaj Joshi In CMO Given Additional Charge Of Home

Mukesh Puri, the second senior-most IAS officer in the Gujarat cadre, retired on January 31 after serving as the Additional Chief Secretary (Home). Puri was also the managing director of Gujarat State Fertilisers Corporation (GSFC) and Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL).

A day after Puri’s retirement, Pankaj Joshi, a 1989 batch IAS officer, was given charge of additional chief secretary (Home) alongside his current responsibility of additional chief secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office. Joshi also officiates as the managing director of Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilisers Corporation (GNFC). He is tipped to be the next Chief Secretary of the state.

Puri’s other job, that of MD, GSFC, has been assigned to Kamal Dayani, who is ACS in the state’s General Administration Department (GAD). Puri will continue to run SSNNL as its managing director for two years on a contractual basis. The SSNNL oversees the Narmada project.

Among other changes, Expenditure Secretary KM Bhimajyani retired on January 31 as well. KK Nirala, the Commissioner of Women and Child Development, has been entrusted with the additional charge of the post.

Another officer to have retired from service is MA Gandhi, who was the MD of Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC). AM Sharma – a promotee IAS officer – will be replacing Gandhi.

Both Bhimajyani and Gandhi were also promotee IAS. Prior to his superannuation, Gandhi has already been appointed a member of Gujarat Real Estate Rregulatory Authority (RERA).

As per the orders issued by the Gujarat government on Thursday, it has promoted IAS officers of 2008 batch to secretary level in the state administration.

Accordingly, Saidingpuii Chhakchhuak, Joint Secretary in the Finance Department, has been moved to the post managing director of Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL).