Gandhinagar: Marking the beginning of the New Year with a significant administrative move, the Gujarat government has promoted several senior IAS and IPS officers as part of a New Year reshuffle. The promotion orders were issued on Thursday by the General Administration Department (GAD) and the Home Department, reflecting a major elevation exercise in the state bureaucracy.
The reshuffle includes promotions of six IAS officers of the 1996 batch to the rank of Additional Chief Secretary, elevation of two IAS officers to Principal Secretary, and promotion of 14 IPS officers, including three officers who have been elevated to the top police rank of Director General of Police (DGP).
Six 1996-Batch IAS Officers Elevated as Additional Chief Secretaries
In a major development, the state government promoted six senior IAS officers from the 1996 batch to the prestigious rank of Additional Chief Secretary (ACS). Following their elevation, all six officers have been posted as Principal Secretaries in key departments of the Gujarat government.
The promoted officers and their departmental postings are:
- Mona Khandhar – Principal Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department
- T. Natarajan – Principal Secretary, Finance Department
- Rajeev Topno – Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department
- Mamta Verma – Principal Secretary, Industries and Mines Department
- Mukesh Kumar – Principal Secretary, Education Department
These appointments place experienced officers at the helm of crucial departments, underscoring the government’s focus on policy continuity and administrative efficiency.
Two IAS Officers Promoted to Principal Secretary Rank
Apart from the ACS-level elevations, the Gujarat government also promoted two other IAS officers of the Gujarat cadre to the rank of Principal Secretary.
Arti Kanwar has been promoted and is currently serving as Chief Commissioner of State Tax in Gujarat.
Vijay Nehra, who is on central deputation, has also been promoted. He is presently working as Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The promotion of officers serving both within the state and on central deputation highlights the government’s recognition of administrative experience across domains.
14 IPS Officers Promoted; Three Elevated to DGP Rank
In another significant decision, the Gujarat government promoted 14 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers with immediate effect. The promotions were issued by the Home Department as part of the New Year administrative exercise.
Among them, three senior IPS officers, who were serving as Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), have been elevated to the apex police rank of Director General of Police (DGP).
The officers promoted to DGP rank are:
- Narasimha Komar
- Prafulla Kumar Roushan
- Rajkumar Pandian
Their elevation strengthens the top leadership of the Gujarat Police and is expected to enhance strategic and operational policing across the state.
Administrative Significance of the Promotions
The New Year promotions reflect the Gujarat government’s intent to:
- Reward seniority and administrative experience
- Strengthen leadership across key civil and police departments
- Ensure effective governance and smoother policy implementation
By placing seasoned officers in crucial roles, the government aims to maintain administrative stability while addressing emerging governance and law-and-order challenges.
