Bhubaneswar, January 2: Senior IAS officer Deoranjan Kumar Singh on Friday assumed charge as the Development Commissioner of the State.

This elevation occurs as the incumbent, Anu Garg, vacates the post to take over as the first woman Chief Secretary of Odisha on Wednesday. Singh took the charge as the Development Commissioner’s office in the Planning and Convergence Department.

Singh, a 1993-batch IAS officer has also been allowed to remain as the Additional Chief Secretary to the Government in the Revenue and Disaster Management Department.

Besides the Development Commissioner, Singh has been given charge of the Planning and Convergence Department.

Notably, on Thursday, the State Government effected a reshuffle in the top IAS level, a day after 1991-batch IAS officer Anu Garg assumed charge as the Chief Secretary by appointing Singh as the next Development Commissioner.

The Development Commissioner holds a key administrative role, responsible for coordinating the State's overall development planning, convergence of resources, and monitoring various programmes.

The primary function of the Development Commissioner is to develop and implement short-term and long-term strategies for the sustainable development of the State. This involves coordinating efforts among different departments and ensuring the optimal allocation and utilisation of resources.

So, Singh’s appointment is characterised by a multi-layered responsibility, as he will also oversee the Planning and Convergence Department. This consolidation of power is designed to address the socio-legal complexities of the State while ensuring a holistic development of the State in a scientific manner.

The Development Commissioner acts as a high-level administrative head focused on driving the State's development agenda and ensuring efficient implementation of Government initiatives.