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Suvendu Adhikari restructures West Bengal CMO with fresh appointments of IAS, WBCS officers

By
LO Bureau
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With the new government coming to power in West Bengal after 15 years, it is now the turn of the state bureaucracy to feel the pangs of restructuring, and that process has begun. The new BJP government under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari carried out a fresh bureaucratic reshuffle on Sunday, appointing two IAS officers and seven State Civil Services (Executive) officers to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

As per govt notifications, IAS officers P Promoth (IAS:2019:WB) and Navneet Mittal (IAS:2020:WB) were appointed as joint secretaries in the CMO with immediate effect.

While Promoth was serving as joint secretary in the MSME and Textiles Department, Mittal was posted as Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of the Paschim Medinipur district.

In addition, the Suvendu govt also appointed seven West Bengal Civil Services (Executive) officers as senior deputy secretaries in the new CMO. These officials were currently serving in departments such as Housing, Fisheries, and Land Reforms, along with those posted across various districts, and were among those reassigned in the latest reshuffle.

The seven WBCS (Executive) officers, who were posted as Senior Deputy Secretaries in the new CMO, are Samrat Chakravarti (WBCS Executive 2004), Amartya Chakraborty (WBCS Exe. 2007), Ayan Dutta Gupta (WBCS Exe. 2007), Rajarshi Nath (WBCS Exe. 2009), Surajit Roy (WBCS Exe. 2011), Pramit Das (WBCS Exe. 2009), and Deep Bhaduri (WBCS Exe. 2008).

This latest round of reshuffling comes a day after the new govt transferred or reassigned 16 officers who had been serving in the CMO during the Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime.

In the first round soon after the swearing-in of the new govt on Saturday, retired IAS officer Subrata Gupta was appointed advisor to the Chief Minister, while Shantanu Bala was named the chief minister’s private secretary.

This latest round of appointments is part of a broader administrative overhaul that is going to be undertaken by the new dispensation in the state.

Bihar transfers 12 senior IAS officers; HR Srinivas is new ACS, Social Welfare Department

By
LO Bureau
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Bihar Map

The Bihar government on Sunday (May 10, 2026) carried out a key administrative reshuffle by issuing transfer and posting orders for 12 senior IAS officers. Senior IAS officer Anand Kishore (IAS:1996:BH), Chairman of the Bihar School Examination Board, has been relieved of the additional charge of the Finance Department. Meanwhile, HR Srinivas (IAS:1997:BH) has been posted as Additional Chief Secretary of the Social Welfare Department.

Tamil Nadu appoints 2 IAS officers as Secretaries to CM Vijay

By
LO Bureau
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The Tamil Nadu government on Sunday (May 10, 2026) appointed two senior IAS officers as secretaries to newly sworn-in Chief Minister Joseph C Vijay.

According to a state government order, Dr P Senthil Kumar (IAS:1995:TN), who was serving as Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, has been transferred and posted as Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Secretary I to the Chief Minister.

Similarly, G Lakshmi Priya (IAS:2006:TN), Secretary of the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, has been transferred and posted as Secretary II to the Chief Minister.

The appointments were made on the same day Vijay assumed office as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Subrata Gupta appointed Advisor to WB CM Suvendu Adhikari

By
LO Bureau
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Subrata Gupta IAS

Retired IAS officer Subrata Gupta (IAS:1990:WB) on Saturday (May 9, 2026) was appointed as Advisor to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

The appointment came shortly after Adhikari took oath as the new Chief Minister of West Bengal. A notification issued by the state government confirmed Gupta’s appointment.

Gupta had recently served as the Election Commission of India (ECI)-appointed Special Poll Observer during the West Bengal Assembly elections. His role during the election process received appreciation from various quarters. On May 7, the Election Commission of India relieved Gupta as well as the Special Police Observer from their respective poll duties.

As Special Poll Observer, Gupta was credited with helping implement the ECI’s strategy for transparent and peaceful elections through the use of technology and artificial intelligence (AI)-based monitoring mechanisms.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal government also appointed Subrata Bala (IAS:2017:WB) as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister. Prior to this appointment, he was serving as Additional District Magistrate of South 24 Parganas district.

Ashok Kumar Panda assumes charge as SAIL CMD

By
LO Bureau
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Ashok Kumar Panda SAIL CMD

Dr Ashok Kumar Panda on Saturday (May 9, 2026) assumed charge as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).

Prior to this, he was serving as Director (Finance) of the company. He had also held the additional charge of Director (Commercial) for around nine months before T N Natarajan was appointed to the post.

Dr Panda began his journey in SAIL as a Management Trainee (Technical) in 1992 after completing his BE in Electrical Engineering. Over the past three decades, he has worked across multiple plants and units of the company and handled responsibilities in operational, financial and commercial domains.

He holds specialization in Finance from Xavier Institute of Management Bhubaneswar (XIMB) and later earned a PhD in Business Finance.

During his tenure as Director (Finance), Dr Panda led several strategic initiatives aimed at improving operational efficiency and profitability. He played a key role in deleveraging efforts that reportedly helped reduce borrowings by nearly ₹20,000 crore. He was also associated with implementation of cost reduction measures, improvement in production efficiency and policy reforms across operations, finance, sales and human resources.

In his role as Director (Commercial), he focused on improving sales volumes, strengthening product branding, enhancing Net Sales Realisation (NSR) and reducing inventory levels.

After assuming charge as CMD, Dr Panda said SAIL is preparing for its next phase of expansion to 35 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). He emphasized that workplace safety, raw material security through domestic mining and overseas assets, and expansion of value-added product portfolio would remain key priorities of the company.

Lt. Gen. (Retd.) NS Raja Subramani to be country’s new CDS; Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan to be next Navy Chief

By
LO Bureau
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New CDS and new Navy Chief appointed
Lt. Gen. (Retd) NS Raja Subramani

Retired Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani will be the country’s next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), as the term of the current CDS, Anil Chauhan, ends on May 30. The central government made an announcement in this regard on Saturday. Subramani will also hold the position of Secretary, Department of Defence. Subramani will be the country’s third CDS.

He retired as Vice Chief of Army Staff in July last year and currently serves as the Military Advisor in the National Security Council Secretariat, a position he has held since September 2025.

Similarly, the government has also appointed Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the next Chief of Naval Staff. Both will take office on May 31.

CDS-designate NS Raja Subramani was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in December 1985. He received his military training at the National Defence Academy (NDA) and then attended the Joint Services Command and Staff College in Bracknell, UK.

He previously served as the Vice Chief of Army Staff from July 2024 to July 2025. During his military career spanning over 35 years, he has held several important operational and strategic positions. He was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Command and the Chief of Staff of the Northern Command, besides holding several key leadership positions in the Army. He has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal, and Vishisht Seva Medal.

On the other hand, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1987, is an expert in communications and electronic warfare. He has studied at the NDA, the Joint Services Command and Staff College in the UK, the College of Naval Warfare, and the US Naval War College in the United States.

During his long naval career, Swaminathan commanded warships such as INS Vidyut, INS Vinash, INS Kulish, and INS Mysore. He also served as the commanding officer of the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.

Krishna Swaminathan has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), and the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM).

Raju Narayana Swamy’s New Book on Geographical Indications Draws Attention

By
LO Bureau
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A new book authored by senior IAS officer Dr Raju Narayana Swamy, widely known as Kerala’s anti-corruption crusader and firebrand bureaucrat, is drawing widespread attention in academic and administrative circles.

Titled The Saga of Geographical Indications Across the Globe, the book focuses on the role of Geographical Indications (GI) in fostering social capital and argues for a shift from a state-driven, trader-centric model to a producer-driven bottom-up approach.

The book discusses the international GI regime, legal framework, global case studies and issues related to trans-border Geographical Indications. It was released by Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, Consul General of India, during an event held in New York.

This is the 36th book authored by Dr Swamy. His earlier works include the Sahitya Akademi Award-winning travelogue Shantimanthram Muzhangunna Thazhvarayil and Neelakkurinji: Oru Vyazhavattathile Vasantham, which won the Kerala State Award for Children’s Literature.

Dr Swamy was recently in the news for performing a record 38 assignments as Central Observer for the Election Commission of India, including an international observer assignment during the 2018 Zimbabwe elections.

In 2021, he received the prestigious Leonardo da Vinci Fellowship instituted by the Center for Intellectual Property and Innovation Policy at George Mason University for his contribution to intellectual property law scholarship. He was also awarded the Satyendra K Dubey Memorial Award by IIT Kanpur in 2018 for his fight against corruption.

Apart from this, he received the Homi Bhabha Fellowship in cyber law. Dr Swamy has also played an important role in implementation of policies related to rural development, education and health, and is known for promoting transparency, accountability and citizen-centric governance through technology.

A BTech graduate in Computer Science and Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Dr Swamy also holds a PhD in Law from Gujarat National Law University. He secured All India Rank 1 in the 1991 IAS batch.

He also earned a PG Diploma from the National Law School, Bangalore as well as an LLM from NLU Delhi – both with gold medals.

UP CS SP Goyal issues order teaching officers how to behave with MPs and MLAs

By
LO Bureau
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UP CS SP Goyal IAS
Shashi Prakash Goyal

The bureaucrats in Uttar Pradesh are in for a surprise as they are now being schooled how to give full respect to visiting public representatives. If any MP or MLA comes to the office, then the administrative officer will have to get up from his seat and greet them with folded hands and ask them for water.

Not only this, but an officer will have now to answer their calls whenever they come. If the officer is busy in a meeting or other work, then he will have to call them back. Failure to follow these guidelines will invite action against the errant officers and employees under the ‘Uttar Pradesh State Employees Conduct Rules.’ This is a government order issued by Chief Secretary SP Goyal (IAS:1989:UP) on Thursday.

The Yogi govt is said to have taken a tough stance after continued allegations of neglect by officials were made by public representatives. A similar issue was raised in the Assembly recently where Leader of the Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey also accused officials of not answering phone calls. Following this, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took a firm stance on the matter. The government clarified that every official must show due respect to public representatives.

Following assurances from the Yogi government, the Chief Secretary has now issued an order that clearly states that officers will respond to calls from public representatives. They will have to resolve the cases received from them as efficiently as possible. They will then be informed of the action taken.

Interestingly, the Chief Secretary cited 15 such govt orders issued so far in this regard but despite the issuance of so many orders, complaints continue to be received regarding non-strict adherence to protocol with MPs and MLAs.

The Chief Secretary clearly stated that if such cases arise again, strict action will be taken against the concerned official.

West Bengal CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal likely to be state’s new Chief Secretary

By
LO Bureau
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Manoj Kumar Agarwal IAS

If sources in the West Bengal administration are to be believed, current Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal (IAS:1990:WB) is all set to be appointed as the new Chief Secretary of the state by the newly-formed BJP government.  

This is considered to be a reward for him for the successful conduct of what has widely been described as free, fair, and peaceful Assembly elections in Bengal. According to sources, Agarwal’s leadership during the Assembly elections significantly strengthened his credentials.

But it is not the only criterion for his possible elevation to the top bureaucratic post. Administrative circles believe that Agarwal has emerged as the frontrunner for the top post owing to his performance in handling key responsibilities over the years. Otherwise, there are several officers from his batch—such as Vivek Kumar, Hridesh Mohan, and Vivek Bharadwaj—who are still in service.

As Agarwal is scheduled to retire on July 31, he could be appointed as the Chief Secretary for an initial tenure of around two-and-a-half months, with the possibility of an extension if required.

An alumnus of IIT Kanpur, Agarwal is regarded as one of the most experienced bureaucrats in the state administration, who was earlier overlooked for the post of Chief Secretary—a decision that is said to have caused disappointment within sections of the administrative fraternity close to him. Instead, the Mamata Banerjee-led government had recommended his name for the post of Chief Electoral Officer.

Agarwal has vast administrative experience, having held several key positions in the state government. After serving as District Magistrate of Burdwan in 2001, he went on to serve as Chairman of the West Bengal Highway Corporation, Principal Secretary of the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, Principal Secretary of the Food Department, Additional Chief Secretary of the Fire and Emergency Services Department, and Additional Chief Secretary of the Forest Department. Also, he is currently serving as President of the IAS Association in the state.

The speculation of Agarwal’s possible elevation was further fueled after incumbent Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala reportedly visited the CEO office and held a meeting with Agarwal on Thursday.

Kurve Sachin Shardchandra appointed Chennai Port Authority Chairperson

By
LO Bureau
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IAS Officer Kurve Sachin Shardchandra (IAS:2003:UD) has been appointed as Chairperson (Joint Secretary level) of the Chennai Port Authority under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday (May 8, 2026), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved his appointment to the post for a period of five years from the date of assumption of charge, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

He will succeed Sunil Paliwal (IAS:1993:TN), who was appointed Chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India in November 2025.

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