In a significant move to streamline administration and improve governance, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, has ordered a large-scale bureaucratic reshuffle across the Union Territory. This administrative overhaul affects 24 top-level officers, including 20 IAS and 4 JKAS officers, with crucial changes made in various departments and district administrations.

Top-Level Changes in District Administration

The reshuffle primarily impacts the offices of Deputy Commissioners (DCs) in several key districts, namely Srinagar, Budgam, Ramban, and Kishtwar. These changes are expected to influence local governance and developmental progress in these regions.

• Bilal Mohiud Din Bhat, formerly the Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar, has been transferred and appointed as DC Budgam, replacing Akshay Labroo, who has now taken charge as DC Srinagar.
• Baseer Ul Haq Chaudhary, previously DC Ramban, has been designated as Mission Director of the National Health Mission, J&K.
• Mohammad Alyas Khan, a JKAS officer serving as Additional Secretary in the LG’s Secretariat, is now appointed as DC Ramban.
• Pankaj Kumar Sharma, JKAS, who held the role of Vice-Chairman at the Jammu Development Authority, is now posted as the DC of Kishtwar.

Key Appointments in Administrative Departments

Social Welfare and Mining

• Anil Kumar Singh takes over as Principal Secretary, Social Welfare Department. Additionally, he will manage the Mining Department, relieving Vikramjit Singh from the additional charge.

Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs

• Saurabh Bhagat, earlier the Secretary of Science and Technology, will now serve as Commissioner/Secretary of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department. He relinquishes his previous additional charge in the IT Department.
• Zubair Ahmad has been moved to head the Department of Floriculture, Parks and Gardens.

Technology, Science & Civil Aviation

• Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, who was awaiting a posting, is now the Secretary, Science and Technology Department, and will also oversee the Civil Aviation Department.
• Piyush Singla has been named the Secretary, Information Technology Department, replacing Bhagat.
• Naveen S L has been assigned as Secretary, Transport Department.

Health, Social Justice, and Smart City Project

Healthcare Administration

• Nazim Zai Khan, who previously led the National Health Mission, is now Mission Director, ICPS, J&K, replacing Majid Khalil Ahmad Drabu, who moves to become the Commissioner of Enquiries, J&K.
• Ananth Dwivedi has been named the new CEO of the State Health Agency, J&K and will also oversee the Ayush Bharat Digital Health Mission in the region.

Smart City and Municipal Affairs

• Owais Ahmed, Commissioner of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation and CEO of the Srinagar Smart City Project, is now posted as Director, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, replacing Abdul Rashid War.
• Faz Lul Haseeb, MD of the J&K Tourism Development Corporation, has been appointed as Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation and will also serve as CEO, Smart City Project.

Urban Development and Tourism

• Rupesh Kumar, previously Director of Social Welfare in Jammu, is now the Vice-Chairman of Jammu Development Authority.
• Gurpal Singh has been posted as Director, Social Welfare, Jammu.
• Shreya Singhal becomes the Managing Director of the J&K Tourism Development Corporation and will simultaneously serve as CEO of JKERA (Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency).

Skill Development, Youth & Governance

• Shahzad Alam, Director of Employment, J&K, continues to hold his current roles in Mission Youth and Mission YUVA, and now takes on additional responsibility as Director, Skill Development, J&K.
• Mahima Madan has been appointed as CEO of Jammu and Kashmir e-Governance Agency (JaKeGA) and will also serve as Additional Secretary, Resident Commission in New Delhi.

District Development and Home Affairs

• Roshan Lal, who was Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC), Ramban, has been transferred to the same post in Rajouri.
• Vivek Phonsa has taken charge as Additional Secretary, Home Department.

These transfers are expected to improve service delivery, accelerate development projects, and strengthen the UT’s readiness for implementing welfare and digital governance