Bhubaneswar, August 24: Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra on Wednesday was given a second extension for six months.
Mohapatra, a 1986-batch IAS officer, who has been serving as the head of State’s bureaucracy since December 2020, was scheduled to retire on February 28. His first tenure was extended in January till August end this year by the Centre following a request from the Odisha Government on December 31, 2021.
Now, Mohapatra will remain as the Chief Secretary of Odisha till February 23, 2023.
In a letter to the Principal Secretary to the Department of General Administration and Public Grievance, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) under the Ministry of Personnel, Personal Grievances and Pensions, has communicated the decision to the Odisha Government.
“I am directed to convey the approval of the Central government for extension of service of Suresh Chandra Mahapatra for a period of six months for a period of six months from 1.9,2022 to 28.02.2023 in relaxation of Rule 16 (1) of AIS (DCRB) Rules, 1958, by invoking Rule 3 of AIS (CS-RM) Rules, 1960,” stated a letter signed by Under Secretary, DoPT, Kuldeep Chaudhary.
On January 1, 2021, Mahapatra succeeded his batchmate Asit Tripathy.
RN Das was the last Chief Secretary who had got three extensions of six months each, during the tenure of the then Chief Minister Biju Patnaik, father of current Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
