Chandigarh: The Punjab Government on Tuesday carried out a significant bureaucratic reshuffle, transferring seven IAS officers and assigning them new responsibilities across key departments, including health, medical education, local bodies, higher education and industries.
Among the notable changes, IAS officer Manjit Singh Brar has been appointed as Secretary, Medical Education and Research, while Sakshi Sawhney has been posted as Mission Director of the National Health Mission (NHM). The reshuffle also includes changes in the Local Bodies Department, Higher Education Department and key public sector undertakings in the industrial sector.
Manjit Singh Brar Appointed Secretary, Medical Education and Research
As part of the reshuffle, IAS officer Manjit Singh Brar has been posted as Secretary, Medical Education and Research.
With this appointment, Ghanshyam Thori has been relieved of the additional charge of the department that he had been holding.
The move is aimed at providing dedicated administrative leadership to the Medical Education and Research Department, which plays a crucial role in the state’s healthcare and medical training infrastructure.
Ghanshyam Thori Shifted to Local Bodies Department
Senior IAS officer Ghanshyam Thori has been appointed as Secretary, Local Bodies Department.
Consequently, he has been relieved of his responsibilities as Secretary, Health and Family Welfare as well as the additional charge of Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM).
His new assignment places him at the helm of a department responsible for urban governance, municipal administration and implementation of local body-related policies across Punjab.
Sakshi Sawhney to Take Charge as Mission Director, NHM
In another important decision, the services of IAS officer Sakshi Sawhney have been placed at the disposal of the Department of Health and Family Welfare for her posting as Mission Director, National Health Mission.
The National Health Mission is one of the flagship healthcare programmes aimed at strengthening public health infrastructure and improving healthcare delivery across the state.
Sawhney will continue to hold the additional charge of Chief Administrator, Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), while assuming her new responsibility in the health sector.
Her appointment is expected to strengthen the implementation of healthcare initiatives and public health programmes under the NHM framework.
Kulwant Singh Appointed Director, Higher Education
IAS officer Kulwant Singh has been appointed as Director, Higher Education.
Prior to this posting, he was serving as Director, Local Bodies Department.
The transfer is expected to bring administrative experience and continuity to Punjab’s higher education sector at a time when educational reforms and institutional development remain key priorities for the state government.
Harsuhinder Pal Singh Gets Charge of Director, Local Bodies
Following Kulwant Singh’s transfer, the charge of Director, Local Bodies Department has been assigned to Harsuhinder Pal Singh.
The appointment is expected to ensure smooth functioning of the department, which oversees municipal governance and urban development initiatives across the state.
Jaspreet Singh Given Additional Charge of Punjab Infotech
The government has also assigned an additional responsibility to IAS officer Jaspreet Singh.
He has been given the additional charge of Managing Director, Punjab Infotech, while continuing in his existing role as Director, Industries and Commerce.
Punjab Infotech serves as a key agency in promoting e-governance, digital transformation and information technology initiatives in the state.
The dual responsibility is expected to help align industrial growth strategies with digital governance and technology-driven development initiatives.
Rubinder Singh Brar Gets Key Industrial Sector Assignments
IAS officer Rubinder Singh Brar has been assigned multiple responsibilities under the latest reshuffle.
His services have been placed at the disposal of the Department of Industries and Commerce for posting as Managing Director, Punjab Small Industries and Exports Corporation (PSIEC).
In addition, he has been entrusted with the additional charge of Managing Director, Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation (PSIDC), relieving Harpreet Singh Sudan of the responsibility.
Brar has also been assigned the charge of Additional Secretary, Local Bodies Department.
The appointments place him in a strategic position overseeing industrial promotion, infrastructure development and investment facilitation initiatives in Punjab.
Focus on Administrative Efficiency
The latest reshuffle reflects the Punjab Government’s effort to strengthen governance and improve administrative efficiency across critical sectors.
The changes are expected to enhance coordination in healthcare, urban development, higher education, industrial promotion and digital governance while ensuring focused leadership in departments that play a significant role in the state’s development agenda.
With several officers receiving additional responsibilities, the government appears to be emphasizing administrative continuity and efficient utilisation of senior bureaucratic talent across departments.
