Sumita Misra Appointed Haryana’s New Home Secretary in Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle

GG News Bureau
Chandigarh, 3rd Dec. In a major bureaucratic shake-up, the Haryana government has transferred 44 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers with immediate effect. According to a government order issued on December 1, Sumita Misra, a 1990-batch officer, will take over as the new Home Secretary. Misra, who was previously the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) for the Medical Education and Research Department, has been appointed as the ACS for the Home, Jails, Criminal Investigation, and Administration of Justice Departments. She takes over from Anurag Rastogi, who will continue to hold the charge of ACS for the Finance and Planning departments and will additionally manage the Financial Commissioner of Revenue, Disaster Management, and Consolidation Department.

In another key appointment, Ashok Khemka, a 1991-batch officer, has been moved from his position as ACS, Printing and Stationery Department, to ACS, Transport Department. Khemka had previously served as Transport Commissioner and Secretary during the first term of the BJP-led government under Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. He replaces 1994-batch IPS officer Navdeep Virk.

The reshuffle, which had been anticipated since the swearing-in of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on October 17, also saw several other high-profile transfers. Apoorva K Singh has been appointed ACS for the Town and Country Planning and Urban Estates Department and will also oversee the Energy Department. Sudhir Rajpal, ACS for the Health and Family Welfare Department, will take on additional responsibilities for the Medical Education and Research, and Ayush departments.

Anand Mohan Sharan has been assigned the Food and Civil Supplies Department in addition to his current posts, while Vineet Garg has been named ACS for the Higher Education Department and will chair the Haryana State Pollution Control Board.

Further changes include D Suresh, Resident Commissioner at Haryana Bhawan in New Delhi, who will now also serve as Principal Secretary for the Industries and Commerce Department. Rajeev Ranjan will assume the additional role of Principal Secretary for Labour, and Shyamal Mishra will head the Faridabad and Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authorities, as well as serve as Principal Secretary for Civil Aviation.

Other notable transfers include Vijay Singh Dahiya, who will serve as Commissioner and Secretary for both Printing and Stationery and Animal Husbandry departments, and Ashima Brar, who has been appointed as the Excise and Taxation Commissioner and Secretary. Amit Kumar Agrawal will also take charge of the departments of Information, Public Relations, Languages and Culture, and Foreign Cooperation.

Among the other reshuffled officers, G Rajini Kaanthan will become the new Transport Commissioner, and Phool Chand Meena will be the new Commissioner of Ambala division. A Sreenivas has been posted as Commissioner of Hisar division, while Anshaj Singh will head the Rohtak division and the Swarna Jayanti Haryana Institute for Fiscal Management. Yash Garg will now be the Commissioner of Food and Drugs Administration, and Monica Malik has been given the additional charge of Managing Director of Haryana Women Development Corporation Ltd.

The reshuffle reflects the state government’s ongoing efforts to streamline administrative functions and prepare for upcoming challenges as it seeks to optimize governance across various departments.