Pushkar Singh Dhami Government Reshuffles 19 IAS, 9 PCS Officers in Uttarakhand; Ashish Chauhan Appointed Dehradun DM
The government led by Pushkar Singh Dhami has carried out a major bureaucratic reshuffle in Uttarakhand, transferring 19 IAS officers and 9 PCS officers in a significant administrative overhaul aimed at strengthening governance and streamlining departmental functioning across the state. The large-scale transfers, announced on Saturday, affected several crucial departments and administrative positions, including district administration, education, health, disaster management, urban development and registration services.
One of the most prominent appointments in the reshuffle is that of IAS officer Ashish Chauhan, who has been appointed as the new District Magistrate of Dehradun. In addition to his responsibilities as DM, he has also been entrusted with the additional charge of Chief Executive Officer of Smart City Dehradun. The appointment is being viewed as a key administrative decision considering the strategic importance of Dehradun as the capital city of Uttarakhand and the ongoing urban infrastructure and smart city development projects in the region.
Former Dehradun District Magistrate Savin Bansal has been relieved of his responsibilities as part of the reshuffle.
The transfer exercise also brought major changes at the senior bureaucratic level. Senior IAS officer B.V.R.C. Purushottam has been appointed Secretary of the Higher Education Department. He replaces Ranjit Kumar Singh, who has been relieved from the charge.
Another important bureaucratic reassignment includes IAS officer Vinay Shankar Pandey being entrusted with the responsibilities of Secretary, Civil Aviation and Health. The move comes at a time when Uttarakhand is focusing heavily on strengthening healthcare infrastructure and improving regional air connectivity, particularly in hilly and remote areas.
Senior IAS officer Anand Swaroop has been appointed Commissioner of the Garhwal Division. He replaces senior officer Sonika, who has also been relieved from the additional responsibility of Commissioner-cum-Inspector General of Registration.
In another key posting, IAS officer Abhishek Rohilla has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), a crucial rural road connectivity programme. IAS officer Saurabh Gaharwar has been posted as Additional Secretary in the Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Department, an important assignment considering Uttarakhand’s vulnerability to natural disasters and extreme weather conditions.
The Dhami government also introduced important changes in the education sector. IAS officer Namami Bansal has been appointed Additional Secretary in the School Education Department, while IAS officer Aakanksha Konde has been given the responsibility of Director General of School Education.
In urban administration, IAS officer Alok Kumar Pandey has been appointed Municipal Commissioner of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation. IAS officer Deepti Singh has been posted as Director of the Minority Welfare Department, while IAS officer Prateek Jain has been appointed Commissioner-cum-Director General of Registration.
Meanwhile, IAS officer Apurva Pandey has been appointed the new District Magistrate of Bageshwar.
Apart from the IAS reshuffle, the Uttarakhand government also transferred nine PCS officers as part of the broader administrative restructuring exercise. Among them, PCS officer Girdhari Singh Rawat has been appointed Additional Secretary in the Information Technology, Swaraj and Science & Technology Department.
The latest reshuffle is being seen as part of the Dhami government’s continuing efforts to improve administrative efficiency, accelerate development works, and strengthen governance mechanisms across Uttarakhand ahead of several key policy and infrastructure initiatives planned by the state government.
