Today, Manoj Ahuja, a senior IAS officer, assumed the role of Chief Secretary for Odisha. At Lok Seva Bhavan in Bhubaneswar, departing Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena, an IAS officer (1989-batch), was succeeded by the 1990-batch Odisha cadre IAS officer.
Taking on his X handle, Jena wrote, “I relinquished charge of Chief Secretary today at 3.30 pm. I welcome Manoj Ahuja, one of my good friends from the 1990 batch ( from my Kalahandi days), my successor, Subcollector Dharamgarh, & I’m happy to have been succeeded by him today to hold the post of Chief Secretary. Wish him all the best.”
Before returning to his home cadre at the Odisha government’s behest, Ahuja held the position of Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The senior IAS officer has also held several posts as joint director (Personnel Training/Personnel & General Administration) at the Centre and Commissioner-cum-Secretary in the Steel and Mines and Sports and Youth Services departments in Odisha. He has also served as the Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education, Ministry of Education.