Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is on an official foreign tour while the transfers were announced
Senior bureaucrat Sunil Porwal has been appointed home secretary of Maharashtra in a major administrative reshuffle by the state government. A total of 12 Indian Administrative Services or IAS officers have been transferred in the latest reshuffle.
Mr Porwal has been appointed additional chief secretary (home), replacing Sudhir Shrivastava, who been transferred to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board or MPCB as its chairman, an order issued by the Maharashtra government on Monday night said.
Mr Porwal, a 1983-batch IAS officer, had been serving as additional chief secretary (industries). The appointment has been made at a time when Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state home minister, is on an official tour of the US, Canada and Dubai.
Anil Diggikar of the 1990 batch, who had been serving as officer on special duty and principal secretary to Mr Fadnavis, has been made principal secretary of the environment department.
Some reports had surfaced that Mr Shrivastava was not happy after reportedly being overlooked for the post of the chief secretary, which went to DK Jain last month.
Mr Shrivastava, who will retire in October, told news agency Press Trust of India that his appointment is for three years. The order to transfer him came days after he went on a long leave after Mr Jain was appointment Maharashtra's top bureaucrat.
Sumit Mullick, who was said to be eyeing the chief secretary's post, has chosen voluntary retirement.
On whether there was a possible link between the transfer and his long leave, Mr Shrivastava said, "The leave was not taken suddenly. It was pre-decided. The transfer has nothing to do with it."
Among other transfers, 1985-batch officer Sitaram Kunte, who had been additional chief secretary of the higher and technical education department, has now been posted as additional chief secretary (personnel) of the general administration department.
Manoj Saunik of the 1987 batch is the new principal secretary in the public works department. Ashish Kumar Singh (1988 batch), principal secretary, public works department, has been posted as principal secretary, transport and ports.
MM Suryawanshi (2010 batch) has been appointed managing director of the Maharashtra State Co-op Tribal Development Corporation in Nashik.
Sanjay Meena (2011 batch) has been posted as additional tribal commissioner in Thane. SM Gavai (1984 batch), additional chief secretary, environment department, has been named additional chief secretary, industries, energy and labour department.
Vandana Krishna (1985 batch), additional chief secretary (reforms), finance department, has been shifted and named additional chief secretary, school education and sports department.
Nand Kumar (1989 batch), principal secretary, school education and sports department, has been named principal secretary and chief protocol officer, general administration department.
Rajgopal Devara (1992 batch), principal secretary and chief protocol officer, general administration department, has been transferred and posted as principal secretary (reforms), finance department, according to the order.