Centre approves Odisha’s proposal to extend chief secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra’s tenure

Bhubaneswar: The central government has approved the Odisha government’s proposal to extend the tenure of chief secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra by six months, official sources said on Friday.

Mohapatra, who was due to superannuate on February 28, will remain in the service for six more months, reported PTI.

Centre’s Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has communicated the approval to the state government.

“I am directed to…convey the approval of the central government for extension in service of Shri Suresh Chandra Mahapatra…for a period of six months beyond his normal date of superannuation, i.e., 28.02.2022 under Rule 16 (1) of AIS (DCRB) Rules, 1958,” said a letter signed by DoPT Under Secretary Devendra Kumar.

PTI sources said that the state government had earlier sent a proposal for extension of service of Mohapatra, an Odisha cadre IAS officer of the 1986 batch.

He was appointed as the chief secretary after AK Tripathy retired on January 1, 2021.