THE GUJARAT government announced a major bureaucratic reshuffle on Tuesday and transferred 26 senior IAS officers, many of whom are holding key posts. The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) saw one of its longest serving officers – Avantika Singh Aulakh – being shifted.
While 1998 batch IAS officer Sanjeev Kumar has been appointed as the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Dr Vikrant Pandey has been promoted as Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister.
Sanjeev Kumar will also hold the additional charge of Principal Secretary, Home Department, until further orders, relieving Chief Secretary M K Das of additional charge. Das was Home Secretary before becoming Chief Secretary earlier this year.
Another important change in the CMO is that Dr Vikrant Pandey, a MBBS doctor turned IAS officer of the 2005 batch, has been promoted from Secretary to Chief Minister to ‘Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, alongside Sanjeev Kumar. This post has been held by Avantika Singh Aulakh since September 2021.
Dr Vikrant Pandey was repatriated in May 2025 after completion of his deputation in Delhi, where he served as Resident Commissioner of the Gujarat government.
He will also hold additional charge of the post of Secretary to Government, Information and Broadcasting Department until further orders, relieving Avantika Singh Aulakh of this additional charge.
Another appointment in the CMO is of 2006 batch IAS officer Ajay Kumar, who has been appointed as Secretary to the Chief Minister. Kumar who was on central deputation and has been repatriated to the state government, will also hold additional charge of the post of Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Gujarat Maritime Board, Gandhinagar until replacing Rajkumar Beniwal.
In the CMO, the 2003 batch IAS officer Avantika Singh Aulakh, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister is transferred to the Energy and Petrochemicals Department as Managing Director, Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (GSPC), Gandhinagar.
She will relieve Milind Torawane of the additional charge of this post.
Aulakh has also been given additional charge of two posts- Managing Director, GSPC LNG Limited, Gandhinagar and Managing Director, Gujarat Gas Limited., Gandhinagar.
Among several other officers assuming leadership roles in departments such as Finance, Education, Labour, Energy and Petrochemicals, Agriculture, Health, and Social Justice and Empowerment, 1997 batch IAS officer Ashwini Kumar Principal Secretary Sports, Youth and Cultural Department has also been transferred.
Barely a few weeks after the declaration of Ahmedabad hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games, Ashwini Kumar who was at the helm of preparations for the same is Principal Secretary Energy and Petrochemicals Department. He will assume charge relieving SJ Haider, who will retire on December 31.
Rahul Gupta, a 2004 batch IAS officer, will succeed Ashwini Kumar. He has been transferred from Secretary Climate Change Department to Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities Department
Also, he will continue as Secretary, Climate Change Department – a post he has held since February 2025 – as additional charge.
Ramesh Chand Meena, Principal Secretary Ports and Transport Department to Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Co-operation Department, has also been shifted.
The 1991 batch Additional Chief Secretary rank officer Anju Sharma in the Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Co-operation Department is transferred as Additional Chief Secretary General Administration Department (Personnel) relieving Dhananjay Dwivedi of the additional charge of that post.
In the Labour department, Principal Secretary Vinod Rao (2000 batch) has been transferred as Principal Secretary Forests and Environment Department, relieving Sanjeev Kumar.
On repatriation to the state government, Sandhya Bhullar (2003 batch) is appointed as Commissioner of Health (Urban) relieving Harshadkumar Patel who is transferred and appointed as Secretary Social Justice and Empowerment Department.
Mohammad Shahid Principal Secretary Social Justice and Empowerment Department is transferred and appointed as Principal Secretary Tribal Development Department relieving Shahmeena Husain of the additional charge.
Secretary, Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Co-operation Department Sandeep Kumar, the 2002 batch IAS officer has been transferred to Finance Department (Economic Affairs)-the post held by Arti Kanwar.
Kanwar is transferred and appointed as Chief Commissioner of State Tax, Ahmedabad relieving Rajeev Topno.
The 2004 batch Rajender Kumar-Secretary Industries and Mines Department (Tourism, Devsthanam Management, Civil Aviation and Pilgrimage) is transferred as Commissioner of Transport.
Another important transfer was reported in the Industry and Mines Department as 2009 batch IAS officer Kuldeep Arya Chief Executive Officer, Special Project (Dholera SIR and Mandal-Bechraji SIR), Gandhinagar is transferred and appointed as Secretary Industries and Mines Department (Tourism, Devsthanam Management, Civil Aviation and Pilgrimage) against Rajender Kumar.
Arya will continue to hold additional charge as Chief Executive Officer, Special Project (Dholera SIR and Mandal-Bechraji SIR), Gandhinagar.
On repatriation to the state government, Lochan Sehra is appointed as Secretary Labour, Skill Development and Employment Department relieving Vinod Rao.
Rajkumar Beniwal Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Gujarat Maritime Board, Gandhinagar is transferred and his services are placed at the disposal of Energy and Petrochemicals Department for appointment as Managing Director, Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd., Bharuch relieving T Natarajan of this additional charge.
The 1998 batch IAS officer Dhananjay Dwivedi, Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare Department, has been transferred and appointed as Principal Secretary, Panchayats, Rural Housing and Rural Development Department, relieving Milind Torawane.
Dhananjay Dwivedi will also hold additional charge as Commissioner of Rural Development and Principal Secretary to Government (Rural Development) until further orders relieving Milind Torawane of this additional charge.
Also, 1995 batch officer Mukesh Kumar, Principal Secretary Education Department (Primary and Secondary Education), who was also holding additional charge of Higher and Technical Education after Sunaina Tomar superannuated as Additional Chief Secretary on November 30, has been transferred and appointed as Principal Secretary, Education Department (Higher and Technical Education).
Milind Torawane has been appointed as Principal Secretary, Education Department (Primary and Secondary Education).
In the CMO, the 2003 batch IAS officer Avantika Singh Aulakh, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister is transferred to the Energy and Petrochemicals Department as Managing Director, Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (GSPC), Gandhinagar.
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