Major bureaucratic reshuffle in J&K, Vyas made Chief Secy

Jammu, April 28

BB Vyas, principal secretary to the chief minister, was appointed as chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday in a major bureaucratic reshuffle that involved transfer of 31 other officers.

Vyas, a 1986-batch IAS officer, will replace BR Sharma who will serve as Adviser to the Chief Minister on administrative affairs, according to the decision taken at a meeting of the Cabinet here.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has undertaken the reshuffle at a time when the state is witnessing worsening law and order situation and sluggish implementation of the development projects.          
Vyas, who has been serving as the principal secretary to the chief minister since one year, is considered an able administrator who is expected to finetune the administration in the state in his new capacity.

Vyas has earlier served as principal secretary to J&K governor and also to former chief minister Omar Abdullah, apart from holding various other positions, including principal secretary, finance.

Vyas's senior Pramod Kumar Jain, a 1985-batch IAS officer who is presently the finance commissioner, has been transferred and posted as director general of J&K Institute of Management, Public Administration and Rural Development.

Jain will replace Vineeta Gupta, an IAS officer, who will report to the General Administration Department.

Another 1985-batch IAS officer Krishan Ballabh Agarwal, awaiting orders of adjustment in the General Administration Department, has been posted as principal secretary (coordination) in the Resident Commission, J&K Government, New Delhi.

Shaleen Kabra, a 1992-batch IAS officer holding the post of principal secretary to the Government, School Education Department, has been transferred as chairman, J&K Special Tribunal.

Farooq Ahmad Shah, IAS officer holding the post of secretary of Tourism, Floriculture, Parks and Gardens Department, will hold the additional charge of administrative secretary, School Education Department, the order said.

Pawan Kotwal, IAS officer of 1994 batch holding the post of divisional commissioner, Jammu, has been transferred as commissioner-secretary of Health and Medical Education Department in place of Mandeep Kumar Bhandari.

Bhandari has been made divisional commissioner of Jammu.

Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, IAS officer of 2009 batch holding the post of additional secretary in the Chief Minister's Secretariat, has been posted as deputy commissioner, Rajouri.

He shall take over the charge of the post upon retirement on superannuation of Shabir Ahmad Bhat, KAS on April 30. — PTI