Dehradun In a sweeping administrative overhaul, the Uttarakhand government today transferred 44 officers from the IAS, IFS, PCS, and Secretariat services. The reshuffle comes just ahead of Diwali and includes major changes at district, departmental, and secretariat levels.
DM Posts Reshuffled Across Five Districts
Among the most notable moves are the reassignments of five District Magistrates –
- 2011 batch IAS officer Lalit Mohan Rayal is now DM, Nainital
- 2017 batch IAS officer Gaurav Kumar is DM, Chamoli
- 2018 batch IAS officer Anshul Singh assigned DM, Almora
- 2018 batch IAS officer Akanksha Konde appointed DM, Bageshwar
- 2017 batch IAS officer Ashish Kumar Bhatgain posted as DM, Pithoragarh
These changes mark critical leadership shifts in Uttarakhand’s districts.
Departmental Transfers and Responsibility Changes
The reshuffle involves –
- 23 IAS officers whose portfolios were changed
- 11 PCS officers reassigned
- 3 Secretariat Service officers repositioned
- 1 IFS officer given new assignment
Some prominent moves –
- Dilip Jawalkar (2003 batch IAS) relieved as Secretary, Rural Development and Rural Works; now holds Finance, Elections, and Water Resources portfolios
- BVRC Purushottam (2004 batch IAS) removed as Fisheries Director
- Chandresh Kumar Yadav (2006 batch IAS) removed from Panchayati Raj and Food Commissioner roles; now Secretary for Women Empowerment & Child Development
- Ranveer Singh Chauhan (2009 batch IAS) relieved from Agriculture & Horticulture; now Commissioner, Food
- Dheeraj Singh Garbyal (2009 batch IAS) now Secretary, Rural Development & Rural Works
- Parag Madhukar Dhakate (IFS) appointed Special Secretary, Panchayati Raj
- Sonika (2010 batch IAS) made Vice‑Chairman, Haridwar Roorkee Development Authority
- Vandana Singh (2013 batch IAS) moved from DM Nainital to Additional Secretary, Planning and DG Agriculture & Horticulture
- Vineet Kumar (2013 batch IAS) removed as Additional Secretary, Forests; placed as Additional Secretary, Labor
- Himanshu Khurana (2015 batch IAS) becomes Additional Secretary, Forests
- Alok Kumar Pandey (2016 batch IAS) transitions from DM Almora to CEO, PMGSY; Additional Secretary, IT; Director, ITDA
- Dr. Sandeep Tiwari (IAS-2017) has been removed as DM Chamoli and appointed Director, Social Welfare, Haldwani.
- Ravneet Cheema (IAS-2017) has been shifted from Labor and Social Welfare and appointed Additional Secretary, Reorganization Department.
- Vinod Giri Goswami (IAS-2017) is no longer DM Pithoragarh and now joins as Additional Secretary, Urban Development, and Director, Urban Development Directorate, Dehradun.
- Prakash Chandra (IAS-2017) has been appointed as the new Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Uttarakhand.
- Deepti Singh (IAS-2017) has been relieved of additional charges, including Director General of School Education and Director, Horticulture.
At the secretariat level
- Mayawati Dhakriyal becomes Additional Secretary, Languages & Director, Language Institute
- Santosh Badoni now Director, Secretariat Training Institute
- Sunil Singh given Additional Secretary, Revenue & Secretariat Administration
From the PCS ranks
- Girdhari Singh Rawat appointed Additional Secretary, Personnel & Vigilance
- Chandra Singh Dharmashaktu becomes Director, Fisheries
- Lalit Narayan Mishra moves to CDO, Haridwar
- Ashok Kumar Pandey becomes Secretary, Uttarakhand Public Service Commission
- Sundarlal Semwal, Chandra Singh Martolia, Jai Bharat Singh, Raza Abbas, Jaivardhan Sharma, Yukta Mishra, Krishna Nath Goswami, Naresh Chandra Durgapal, Richa Singh, Sonia Pant, Sohan Singh, Paritosh Verma, Chatar Singh, Anil Kumar Chanyal all receive varied district or departmental posts as Deputy Collectors, Municipal roles, or divisional posts.
Strategic Implications & Timing
This reshuffle, occurring just ahead of a major festival season, appears to be a calibrated move by the Dhami government to reorganize administrative leadership in the state. By changing DM posts in key districts and reassigning officers in crucial departments (rural development, forestry, revenue, etc.), the government may aim to bolster governance, ensure political stability, and prepare for upcoming development agendas.
Given Uttarakhand’s terrain and socio-economic challenges, the newly appointed district magistrates and departmental heads will be under scrutiny to deliver on law & order, agriculture, infrastructure, disaster resilience, and community welfare.
