Shimla, July 12: A widespread bureaucratic restructuring ordered by the Himachal Pradesh government has redefined leadership across municipal corporations, state-run universities, and core secretariats. The official state directives transitioned 39 senior administrators to new responsibilities, highlighted by the strategic appointment of Sachin Kanwal as the incoming Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner.
The change in city administration sees Kanwal vacate his previous station as additional secretary to the Chief Minister. His predecessor, Bhupender Kumar, will now transition into the industrial sector to head the Himachal Pradesh General Industries Corporation Limited as its managing director.
The executive order has fundamentally rearranged the distribution of critical portfolios at the highest levels of state planning. Chief Secretary Kamlesh Kumar Pant has been relieved of his additional ministerial charges, allowing 1995-batch IAS officer Rawther Dawood Nazeem to step in as the additional chief secretary supervising Home, Vigilance, MPP, Power, and NCES.
Meanwhile, transport portfolios have been attached to Onkar Chand Sharma’s current desk in tribal development, and Devesh Kumar’s domain over finance and planning has expanded to encompass animal husbandry. The health and family welfare secretariat will now feature Ashish Singhmar at the helm, while M Sudha Devi moves forward to direct the departments of forests and industries.
“The state government has reassigned these officers with immediate effect in the public interest,” a Department of Personnel spokesperson declared during the announcement of the transfers. “The reordering of these files ensures a fuller flow of execution across essential developmental tracks.”
The administrative realignment also shifted the local protocol and academic commands in Shimla. Jyoti Rana is set to lead Himachal Pradesh University as its new registrar, replacing Gian Sagar Negi, who has instead been reallocated to manage the desk of additional district magistrate for protocol. Additionally, Dr. Laiq Ram Verma has moved from his development-focused posting in Sirmaur to navigate the management of HIMFED in Shimla.
