(THE NEWSMAN OF INDIA.COM)In a significant administrative reshuffle, the Gujarat government has transferred 13 senior IAS officers across various departments, aiming to bring new momentum to key sectors including urban development, sports, rural development, tribal affairs, and energy.

As part of the reorganization, Ashwani Kumar, Principal Secretary of the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department, has been appointed as Principal Secretary of the Sports, Youth, and Cultural Activities Department. He will continue to shoulder the additional responsibility of Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs. In a strategic swap, M Thennarasan, who previously held the post now assigned to Kumar, has been appointed as the new Principal Secretary of the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department.

Ramesh Chand Meena, earlier Principal Secretary in the Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Department, has now taken over as Principal Secretary of the Ports and Transport Department. This move relieves Ashwani Kumar of the additional charge of that portfolio.

In another key shift, Milind Torawane, who was serving as Managing Director of Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (GSPC), has been assigned the role of Principal Secretary in the Panchayats, Rural Housing, and Rural Development Department. He replaces Manisha Chandra and will continue to hold his position as MD, GSPC.

Further bolstering the Finance Department, Arti Kanwar, Secretary of Economic Affairs, has been handed additional charge of Secretary, Expenditure.

Meanwhile, Jenu Devan, currently the Superintendent of Stamps and Inspector General of Registration, has been entrusted with additional responsibility as Managing Director of Madhya Gujarat Vij Company Ltd. (MGVCL), relieving Tejas Parmar of that post.

The state’s tourism sector will now see a new face at the helm, with Rajkot Collector Prabhav Joshi appointed as Managing Director of Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd. Tejas Parmar, former MD of MGVCL, has been named Municipal Commissioner of Junagadh, succeeding Om Prakash who has been moved to the position of Rajkot Collector.

Panchmahal Collector Ashish Kumar will now serve as Director of Tribal Development, taking over from Supreet Singh Gulati. In addition, he will hold the additional post of CEO of the Development Support Agency of Gujarat (D-SAG).

Among the district-level changes, Dang DDO Suthar Raj Rameshchandra has been transferred to Narmada as DDO, while Narmada DDO Ankit Pannu moves to Jamnagar. Patil Anand Ashok, earlier Project Administrator for the Tribal Area Sub-Plan, has been posted as Dang DDO.

These appointments, as per the General Administration Department’s transfer order, reflect the state government’s intent to inject new administrative dynamism and optimize departmental functioning by leveraging the expertise and experience of senior officers.