Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has authorized a significant administrative reshuffle, involving the transfer and posting of 49 senior officials, including 42 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers. This extensive bureaucratic reorganization notably impacts the position of Jammu Divisional Commissioner and involves Deputy Commissioners across eight districts.
Information reaching Tahir Rihat suggests that Vikas Kundal has been appointed as the new Jammu Divisional Commissioner, succeeding Ramesh Kumar. Kundal, a 2013-batch AGMUT cadre officer, was previously serving as the Chairman of the J-K Services Selection Board. His new role will also include the additional charge of Additional CEO, Jammu Metropolitan Regional Development Authority, as detailed in an order issued by the General Administration Department. Kundal replaces Ramesh Kumar, who has been transferred and posted as Secretary to the Government in the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. Kumar had held the position of Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, since May 2022. In addition to his new departmental role, Kumar will also assume the additional charge of Administrative Secretary, Culture Department, while continuing his responsibilities as Resident Commissioner, J-K Government, in New Delhi.
The administrative changes extend to the district level, with nine Deputy Commissioner-level positions affected by the transfers. Rakesh Minhas has been moved from his post as Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, and replaced by Minga Sherpa, who previously served as Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur. Devansh Yadav, the Commissioner of the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, taking over from Abhishek Sharma, who has been reassigned as Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara. Shrikant Balasaheb Suse has been transferred from Kupwara and appointed as the Chairman of the J-K Services Selection Board.
Further changes at the district administration include Jatin Kishore, who has been transferred from Ganderbal and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Budgam. Athar Aamir Ul Shafi Khan has been shifted from Budgam to assume the role of Managing Director, National Health Mission, J-K. Rupesh Kumar has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner, Samba, succeeding Ayushi Sudan, who has been transferred to the position of Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC). Ananth Dwivedi has been posted as the Deputy Commissioner of Udhampur. At Ganderbal, Shreya Singhal has been appointed as the Deputy Commissioner, replacing Jatin Kishore. Kuldeep Krishan Sidha has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, replacing Basharat Qayoom, who has been transferred as Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation. Charandeep Singh has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner, Shopian.
At a senior administrative tier, Shaleen Kabra, who holds the position of Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary) in the Jal Shakti Department, has been assigned the additional charge of Administrative Secretary, Revenue Department. This assignment relieves Kumar Rajeev Ranjan of the said charge. Ashish Chandra Verma, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary) of the Tourism Department, has been transferred and will now serve as Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Agriculture Production Department. M Raju, Commissioner Secretary to the Government in the General Administration Department, has been divested of the additional charge of the Health and Medical Education Department. Raju will now hold additional charge of Hospitality and Protocol, as well as Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction. Saugat Biswas has been appointed as Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department.
In another significant move, R Alice Vaz has been transferred from her role as Commissioner Secretary, Transport Department. She will also concurrently hold the additional charge of Civil Aviation Department and Commissioner, Civil Aviation, while continuing her oversight of the Information Department. Sarmad Hafeez has been shifted from the Social Welfare Department to the Youth Services and Sports Department. The reshuffle also sees Avny Lavasa moving from the Transport Department to the Tourism Department, while retaining her charge of Tribal Affairs. Anjali Sehrawat has been posted as Secretary, Public Grievances Department, following her transfer from the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Among other notable appointments, Rahul Yadav has been appointed as Administrative Secretary, Information Technology Department, and will continue in his role as Managing Director, J-K Power Development Corporation Limited. Owais Ahmed has been posted as Administrative Secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department, while retaining the additional charge as Director, Skill Development, J-K. At the field administration level, Faz Lul Haseeb has been shifted from Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, to the position of Additional Secretary, Agriculture Production Department. He will also hold the additional charge of Mission Director, HADP and JKCIP. Mamta Yadav, who was awaiting orders of posting in the GAD, has been appointed as Director, Information Department.
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an independent journalist, activist, and digital media professional from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is best known for his work as the Online Editor at The Chenab Times.