Bhubaneswar: Shri Samarth Verma, IAS (Odisha: 2011), a distinguished and widely-respected officer of the Odisha cadre, has been appointed as a Director in the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways.
The appointment, notified by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoP&T) under the Central Staffing Scheme, is for a period of five years.
The timing of Shri Verma’s move to the Centre is particularly significant as his home state, Odisha, is aggressively pursuing a massive maritime development vision and port-led industrialization.
Odisha, with its long coastline and rich maritime heritage, recently made headlines with its ambitious plan to increase its port capacity from the current 80 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) to 800 MTPA by 2047. The state has also recently formalized key projects, including:
The establishment of the ₹21,500 crore Bahuda Deep-Sea Port in Ganjam district and ₹24,700 crore Shipbuilding Cluster on the Mahanadi riverbank in Kendrapara.
Shri Verma’s central posting in the Ministry directly overseeing the nation’s maritime infrastructure is seen as a strategic move that could help bridge the gap between state-level aspirations and central policy implementation.
His deep understanding of Odisha’s ground realities, coupled with his technical background and administrative acumen, will be crucial in ensuring that Odisha’s ambitious port projects align seamlessly with the Maritime India Vision 2030 and the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
Shri Samarth Verma is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur with a B. Tech. in Mechanical Engineering. Throughout his tenure in Odisha, he has earned a reputation as an honest, hardworking, and suave mandarin whose experience spans critical sectors:
He served as District Collector and Magistrate in key districts like Puri, Kendrapara, and Sambalpur, where he successfully handled disaster response and managed land revenue and rural development initiatives.
He served as Commissioner, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, leading major urban development projects.
Prior to his central deputation, he is serving as Director of Minor Minerals, Bhubaneswar, and his portfolio included high-profile roles such as Director of Tourism and Managing Director of the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC).
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways has directed the Chief Secretary of the Government of Odisha to relieve Shri Verma immediately to enable him to take up his new assignment in the Union Government, where he is expected to contribute his extensive field and governance experience to the nation’s growing maritime sector.