Dr Sagar shifted to Social Welfare; Kuldeep Krishan Sidha posted as Pulwama DC; major changes ordered in health, tourism, agriculture, urban governance and districts
KD NEWS SERVICE
SRINAGAR, Oct 7: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Wednesday ordered a major administrative reshuffle involving 42 officers, bringing sweeping changes in the Information, divisional, departmental and district-level administration across the Union Territory.
Among the key appointments, Mamta Yadav, IAS, has been posted as Director, Information, J&K, while Vikas Kundal, IAS, has been appointed Divisional Commissioner, Jammu.
Dr Sagar Doifode Dattatray, IAS, has been shifted to the Social Welfare Department as Administrative Secretary, while Kuldeep Krishan Sidha, JKAS, has been appointed Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama.
The reshuffle, ordered by the General Administration Department through Government Order No. 1612-JK(GAD) of 2026, involves senior IAS and JKAS officers and affects several key sectors, including information and public communication, health, social welfare, tourism, transport, agriculture, employment, urban governance and district administration.
The transfers and postings have been ordered in the interest of administration and shall take effect immediately.
Mamta Yadav appointed Director Information
One of the most significant appointments in the reshuffle is that of Mamta Yadav, IAS (AGMUT: 2021), as Director, Information, J&K.
Mamta Yadav, who was awaiting orders of posting in the General Administration Department, has now been entrusted with the responsibility of heading the Directorate of Information and Public Relations, the government’s principal communication arm.
As Director Information, she will be responsible for overseeing the dissemination of government policies, programmes, development initiatives and public welfare schemes besides coordinating the government’s communication machinery across Jammu and Kashmir.
The appointment also marks a change in the leadership of the Information Department. Shreya Singhal, IAS, who was serving as Managing Director, J&K Tourism Development Corporation, while holding additional charges including CEO, J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency and Director, Information, has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal.
Vikas Kundal becomes Jammu Divisional Commissioner
In another major change, Vikas Kundal, IAS (AGMUT: 2013), has been transferred from the post of Chairman, J&K Services Selection Board, and appointed Divisional Commissioner, Jammu.
Kundal will also hold the additional charge of Additional CEO, Jammu Metropolitan Regional Development Authority.
His appointment comes at a time when Jammu division is witnessing substantial activity in infrastructure development, urban expansion and implementation of various government programmes. As Divisional Commissioner, he will coordinate the functioning of district administrations besides overseeing important developmental, revenue and administrative matters.
The reshuffle also changes the leadership of the J&K Services Selection Board. Shrikant Balasaheb Suse, IAS, has been transferred from the post of Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara, and appointed Chairman, J&K Services Selection Board.
Dr Sagar shifted to Social Welfare
Dr Sagar Doifode Dattatray, IAS (AGMUT: 2014), has been transferred from the Agriculture Production Department and posted as Administrative Secretary, Social Welfare Department.
Dr Sagar was serving as Special Secretary to the Government, Agriculture Production Department, with additional charge of Mission Director, HADP, JKCIP, Agristack and Inspector General of Registration, J&K.
His new assignment places him at the helm of a department responsible for implementing a wide range of welfare schemes and programmes for vulnerable, disadvantaged and socially and economically weaker sections.
The reshuffle has also resulted in redistribution of the responsibilities earlier held by him in the Agriculture Production Department and other assignments.
Kuldeep Krishan Sidha posted as Pulwama DC
At the JKAS level, Kuldeep Krishan Sidha has been transferred from the post of Director, J&K Archives, Archaeology and Museums, and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama.
As Deputy Commissioner, Sidha will head the district administration and oversee development, revenue, regulatory and general administrative affairs in Pulwama.
His transfer has led to a corresponding change in the Archives, Archaeology and Museums Department. Pranjal J. Hazarika, IAS, who was serving as Additional District Development Commissioner, Baramulla, has been transferred and posted as Director, J&K Archives, Archaeology and Museums.
Ramesh Kumar moved from Jammu division
The reshuffle also brings a change at the top of the Jammu divisional administration, with Ramesh Kumar, IAS (AGMUT: 2011), transferred from the post of Divisional Commissioner, Jammu.
He has been posted as Secretary to the Government, Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. He will also hold additional charge of Administrative Secretary, Culture Department, while continuing as Resident Commissioner, J&K Government, New Delhi.
Major changes in Health, Tourism and Transport
Saugat Biswas, IAS, who was awaiting orders of posting in the General Administration Department, has been posted as Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, Health and Medical Education Department, relieving M. Raju of the additional charge.
M. Raju, IAS, has been assigned additional charge of the Hospitality and Protocol Department and the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction.
R. Alice Vaz, IAS, has been transferred from the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department and posted as Commissioner/Secretary, Transport Department. She will also hold additional charge of Administrative Secretary, Civil Aviation Department and Commissioner, Civil Aviation, while continuing to hold the charge of Information Department.
Sarmad Hafeez, IAS, has been transferred from the Social Welfare Department and posted as Commissioner/Secretary, Youth Services and Sports Department.
Avny Lavasa, IAS, has been transferred from the Transport Department and posted as Secretary to the Government, Tourism Department. She will continue to hold the charge of Administrative Secretary, Tribal Affairs Department.
Extensive changes in district administration
The government has ordered major changes in several districts.
Athar Aamir Ul Shafi Khan, IAS, has been transferred from the post of Deputy Commissioner, Budgam, and posted as Managing Director, National Health Mission, J&K.
Basharat Qayoom, IAS, has been transferred from Pulwama and posted as Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, with additional charge of CEO, SPV for Srinagar City for implementation of the Smart City Project.
Ayuhi Sudan, IAS, has been posted as Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, with additional charge of CEO, SPV, Jammu City and Mission Director, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban).
Minga Sherpa, IAS, has been transferred from Udhampur and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, while Dr Devansh Yadav, IAS, has been transferred from the Jammu Municipal Corporation and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri.
Rakesh Minhas, IAS, has been transferred from Jammu and posted as CEO, State Health Agency, J&K, with additional charge of Managing Director, Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission, J&K.
Abhishek Sharma, IAS, has been transferred from Rajouri and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara.
Dr Rupesh Kumar, IAS, has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Samba.
Jatin Kishore, IAS, has been transferred from Ganderbal and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Budgam, while Shreya Singhal, IAS, has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal.
Ananth Dwivedi, IAS, has been transferred from the State Health Agency and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur.
Agriculture and employment sectors get new leadership
The reshuffle has also brought important changes in sectors linked to agriculture, employment and youth-oriented programmes.
Fazlul Haseeb, IAS, has been transferred from the Srinagar Municipal Corporation and posted as Additional Secretary to the Government, Agriculture Production Department. He will also hold additional charge of Mission Director, HADP and JKCIP.
Vivek Agarwal, IAS, has been transferred from the post of Additional District Development Commissioner, Budgam, and posted as Director, Employment, J&K, with additional charge of CEO, Mission YUVA.
The appointments come against the backdrop of the administration’s continued emphasis on agriculture transformation, employment generation, entrepreneurship and implementation of development-oriented programmes.
Tourism and rural development also affected
Akriti Sagar, IAS, has been transferred from the National Health Mission and posted as Managing Director, J&K Tourism Development Corporation, with additional charge of CEO, J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency.
Anoop Malhotra, IAS, has been transferred from Director General, Rural Sanitation, J&K, and posted as Mission Director, Jal Jeevan Mission.
Mahima Madan, IAS, has been posted as Additional District Development Commissioner, Anantnag.
Vidhu Shekhar, IAS, has been transferred from Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, and posted as Vice Chairman, Jammu Development Authority.
Ishita Rathi, IAS, has been posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu.
Vikas Ahlawat, IAS, has been transferred from Additional Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, and posted as Labour Commissioner, J&K.
Prince Kumar, IAS, has been transferred from Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Uri, and posted as OSD, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, while Gaurav Yadav, IAS, has been posted as SDM Uri.
Seerat Baji, IAS, has been posted as SDM Srinagar (West).
Leena Padha, IAS, has been transferred from Mission Director, Skill Development Mission, and posted as Registrar, Cooperative Societies, J&K.
JKAS officers also shifted
A number of JKAS officers have also been reassigned.
Charandeep Singh, JKAS, Labour Commissioner, J&K, has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Shopian.
Rakesh Kumar, JKAS, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Reasi, has been posted as Special Secretary, Lok Bhawan.
Sachin Jamwal, JKAS, Additional Secretary, JKPSC, has been posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kathua.
Sushil Kesar, JKAS, Deputy CEO, SASB, has been transferred and posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Reasi.
Irfan Bahadur, JKAS, SDM Srinagar (West), has been posted as Assistant Commissioner (Revenue), Budgam.
Afroza Bano, JKAS, Assistant Commissioner (Revenue), Budgam, has been transferred and asked to await further posting orders in the General Administration Department.
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