New postings for 178 RAS officers in Rajasthan (Image: AI-generated)
Jaipur: In what is being described as the Bhajanlal government's biggest administrative reshuffle so far, the Rajasthan government late Friday night transferred and reassigned 178 Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officers in a sweeping bureaucratic overhaul.
The large-scale exercise has impacted key positions ranging from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and Secretariat to district administrations, development authorities, universities, and sub-divisional offices across the state.
The reshuffle is being viewed as more than a routine transfer exercise. Administrative circles see clear indications of the government's effort to tighten control at the grassroots level while addressing concerns raised by recent controversies, including the fertilizer-seed bribery scandal. In a strict directive, all transferred officers have been ordered to assume charge of their new assignments immediately, without availing joining leave.
One of the most closely watched changes involves the Rajasthan State Seed Corporation, which had come under scrutiny following the arrest of non-official director Jugal Kumar Bishnoi by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in an alleged bribery case.
In a significant move, the government has replaced the existing leadership and appointed Gaurav Chaturvedi, who was serving as Executive Director of the Rajasthan State Warehousing Corporation, as the new Managing Director of the Seed Corporation. The appointment is being seen as an attempt to restore confidence and strengthen oversight within the organization following the controversy.
The reshuffle has also altered key power equations within the state administration. Mukesh Kumar Sharma, who served as Joint Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office, has been appointed Secretary of the State Information Commission in Jaipur.
Seema Kumari, previously Additional Director in the Local Self-Government Department, has been assigned the influential role of Joint Secretary in the Chief Secretary’s Office. Meanwhile, Arvind Saraswat, former Additional Divisional Commissioner of Bikaner, has been posted as Joint Secretary in the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED).
Several universities and development authorities have also witnessed leadership changes. Rajpal Singh, Registrar of the University of Kota, has been appointed Secretary of the Udaipur Development Authority (UDA). Gulabchand Prajapat, CEO of the Sirohi Zila Parishad, will now take over as Registrar of the University of Kota.
In another key posting, Om Prakash Bishnoi, CEO of Hanumangarh Zila Parishad, has been appointed Land Settlement Officer in Jodhpur.
The government has carried out extensive changes at the sub-divisional level to strengthen field administration. Rituraj Sharma, currently SDM of Keshoraipatan, has been posted as Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Bandikui, while Premraj Meena has been transferred from Mahwa to Karauli.
Gangadhar Meena, who was serving as SDM of Weir, has been moved to the post of Secretary of the Dausa Urban Improvement Trust (UIT). The transfer comes amid complaints related to corruption and administrative functioning in the region.
With the transfer list now in effect, a new administrative team is set to take charge across several crucial departments and districts, signaling the government's intent to strengthen governance, improve accountability, and tighten administrative control at both the state and district levels.
