In a major top bureaucratic reshuffle on Thursday, the Anandiben Patel government in Gujarat appointed D Jagatheesa Pandian as the new chief secretary of the state replacing Dr Varesh Sinha, whose extension expires on October 31.

Sinha of the 1977 batch, had been given extension twice post his retirement in April 2014.

The 1981 batch IAS, Pandian headed the state industries and mines department as additional chief secretary before being promoted to the head of the state administration. Currently, Pandian is busy in the preparations for the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit scheduled for January 2015.

Pandian's appointment comes on the heels of two high-profile events lined up to be conducted in Gujarat, Vibrant Gujarat Summit and the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas in January next year.

A known face in the state secretariat, Pandian has held portfolios including energy and petrochemicals and revenue among others during then chief minister (now Prime Minister) Narendra Modi. Pandian retires in May 2015.

S K Nanda additional chief secretary -- home of 1978 batch and the senior most bureaucrat after Sinha has been shunted out of the secretariat and posted as the managing director of one of the state public sector undertaking (PSU), Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd (GSFC) in Vadodara. Nanda’s name had been doing rounds on Thursday morning as the replacement to Sinha. As per the bureaucratic hierarchy S K Nanda qualifies for the top post in administration.

Other top IAS officers transferred included Atanu Chakraborty, MD, GSFC has replaced D J Pandian as principal secretary – industries and MD, Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC). G R Aloria has been given additional charge of the post of the additional chief secretary -- Home, replacing Nanda.

B B Swain has been assigned additional charge of the post of managing director, Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) replacing D J Pandian.

K N Bhatt, commissioner of land reforms and ex-officio secretary to government, revenue department has been transferred and appointed as chief executive officer and rehabilitation commissioner Sardar Sarovar Punarvasavat Agency, Vadodara.

Dr J N Singh, additional chief secretary -- revenue has been assigned the additional charge replacing Bhatt.

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