Shimla, Feb 17: The Himachal Pradesh government on Tuesday enacted a major administrative reshuffle, appointing 2008-batch IAS officer Ashish Singhmar as the Secretary to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu. Officials stated that the move is part of a broader series of transfers involving five senior Indian Administrative Service officers across several state departments.
Singhmar, who previously served as the Secretary for Digital Technologies and Governance, will now oversee a significant portfolio. In addition to his primary role, he is assigned the departments of Finance, Planning, Social Justice and Empowerment, and Parliamentary Affairs. He will also maintain his additional responsibilities for the Secretariat Administration and Sainik Welfare departments, effectively relieving Rakesh Kanwar of those duties.
The notification further confirmed the appointment of Anurag Chander Sharma, a 2016-batch officer, as the new Deputy Commissioner of Kullu. Sharma, who was formerly the Director of Personnel and Finance for the Himachal State Electricity Board, replaces Torul S. Raveesh. In a reciprocal move, Raveesh has been transferred to serve as the Managing Director of the Himachal State Industrial Development Corporation in Shimla.
Other notable changes include the transfer of Arindam Chaudhary, who moves from his position at the Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation to become the Director of Personnel and Finance at the State Electricity Board. Government representatives maintained that these reassignments, recommended by the Civil Services Board, aim to streamline departmental efficiency. The administration affirmed that the new postings would take effect immediately to ensure a smooth transition in state governance.
