Bhubaneswar: In a landmark move for the state’s bureaucracy, the Government of Odisha has officially appointed senior IAS officer Anu Garg as the new Chief Secretary.
The Department of General Administration and Public Grievances issued a formal notification on Wednesday confirming her elevation to the highest administrative office in the state.
A member of the 1991 batch of the Indian Administrative Service, Shrimati Garg is currently serving as the Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary. She also holds the charge of the Planning and Convergence Department along with the Water Resources Department. With this appointment, she makes history as the first woman to serve as the Chief Secretary of Odisha.
Shrimati Garg will succeed the incumbent Chief Secretary, Shri Manoj Ahuja, a 1990-batch officer who is scheduled to superannuate from government service on 31 December 2024. Shri Ahuja had been serving on an extended tenure after being repatriated from central deputation earlier in the year.
The transition marks a significant shift in the state’s administrative leadership under the current government. Shrimati Garg brings an extensive portfolio of experience to the role, having served in critical capacities at both the state and central levels. Her career includes stints as Joint Secretary to the Prime Minister and Joint Secretary in the Union Ministries of Textiles and Health and Family Welfare. Within Odisha, she has headed various departments including Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, and Labour and ESI.
As the 47th Chief Secretary of Odisha, Shrimati Garg is expected to assume her new responsibilities on 1 January 2026. Her tenure, which extends until her retirement in March 2029, is anticipated to provide long-term administrative stability and focus on the state’s ongoing developmental and social welfare agendas.