Manoj Ahuja's term as Odisha Chief Secretary extended for one year

Bhubaneswar, Dec 27: The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet has decided to extend the tenure of Manoj Ahuja as Chief Secretary of Odisha for an additional year, effective January 1, 2025. Ahuja was originally set to retire on December 31.

A 1990-batch IAS officer, Ahuja is notable for being the first Chief Secretary appointed under the BJP government in Odisha. He returned to his home state after serving on central deputation since 2017, following a request from the Odisha government. Ahuja officially took charge on July 1, 2024, succeeding Pradeep Kumar Jena, who had received an extension until June 30.

Before Jena, Suresh Chandra Mahapatra served as Chief Secretary and received two consecutive six-month extensions, remaining in the role until February 28, 2023.

Hailing from Haryana, Ahuja is the first non-Odia individual to hold the position of Chief Secretary in nearly 39 years, with the previous non-Odia chief secretary being Gian Chand, who served from April 1983 to December 1985.