Prioritise people, push reforms, Manoj Ahuja tells Odisha officers on retirement

Bhubaneswar: On his last day in office, outgoing chief secretary Manoj Ahuja urged departmental secretaries to continue prioritising people-centric governance and strengthening ease of doing business, emphasising the need for an efficient and responsive bureaucracy.After chairing a meeting of senior officials, Ahuja told reporters that the discussions focused extensively on Odisha’s advantages as a coastal state, the progress of world-class infrastructure projects, and the state’s investment commitments.Asked about his achievements, Ahuja said governance is a collective effort and credited the government for key milestones, including the inflow of massive industrial investments, the seamless rollout of the Subhadra cash incentive scheme for women, and the Rs 800-per-quintal bonus for paddy farmers under the Samruddha Krushak Yojana.Ahuja was succeeded by Anu Garg, who on Wednesday assumed charge as chief secretary, becoming the first woman to hold the state’s top bureaucratic post.Ahuja, a 1990-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, assumed charge as the state’s chief secretary on July 1, 2024, succeeding Pradeep Kumar Jena. He went on to play a pivotal role in driving the Mohan Charan Majhi govt’s programmes and reforms, backed by his extensive administrative experience across both state and central assignments — including serving as secretary in the agriculture ministry, CBSE chairman and holding key positions in Odisha’s steel and mines, sports and youth services, and food & civil supplies departments.New chief secy takes chargeAnu Garg, who on Wednesday became the first woman to serve as chief secretary of Odisha, said she would work with renewed focus to realise the state’s aspiration of becoming a ‘Developed Odisha’ by its centenary year in 2036, as outlined in the government’s Vision 2036 and Vision 2047 frameworks.Acknowledging that the road ahead comes with significant challenges, Garg said the goals are achievable with collective collaboration and contribution. She described her new role as both a “huge responsibility and a profound opportunity” to serve the people of the state.“When one joins the IAS, one carries many dreams for the development of one’s state. We will work towards ensuring that the vision for Odisha is implemented effectively, along with strengthening the state’s contribution to the nation,” she said, after taking over charge from Manoj Ahuja.