Manoj Ahuja takes charge as Chief Secretary of Odisha's first BJP govt

Manoj Ahuja takes charge as Chief Secretary of Odisha's first BJP govt

Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Manoj Ahuja, a native of Haryana and former Union agriculture and farmers’ welfare secretary, assumed charge as the new Chief Secretary of Odisha on Sunday.

Ahuja, a 1990-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, has become the first chief secretary of Odisha under the maiden Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. Ahuja took charge from outgoing Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena, whose term following a six-month extension, ended on June 30. Ahuja is due for superannuation in December 2024.

The new Chief Secretary, Ahuja, will hold the additional charge of Secretary, General Administration and Public Grievance Department.

Ahuja, who holds a BE (Mech) degree from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, an MBA from Punjab University, Chandigarh, and a Masters in Public Administration (International Development) from Harvard University, USA, held key portfolios like joint director (Personnel Training/Personnel & General Administration) and Chairman, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) during his central deputation.

“I relinquished charge of @SecyChief today at 3.30pm. I welcome Manoj Ahuja one of my good friends from 1990 batch (from my Kalahandi days) my successor Subcollector Dharamgarh & l’m happy to have been succeeded by him today to hold the post of @SecyChief. Wish him all the best,” outgoing Chief Secretary Jena stated in a post on X after handing over the charge to Ahuja.