Babus reshuffled, Pravin Darade sent to Pune

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray

The Uddhav Thackeray government has reshuffled 22 senior and junior bureaucrats on Thursday. Some officers are expected to be shifted out with the change in power. Mumbai additional municipal commissioner Pravin Darade has been sent to Pune as social welfare commissioner.

P Velarasu will replace Darade whose tenure in the CMO, MMRDA and BMC remained in the news for various reasons.

Darade's transfer to Pune should see him vacate a Malabar Hill bungalow that was allotted to him till he retires from the IAS. The order had created controversy because he had refused to vacate the bungalow allotted to his wife during her stint in the BMC.

Sources said his wife Pallavi Darade, who is commissioner of food and drug administration department, on deputation from the Indian Revenue Service, would also be replaced soon. IPS officer Brijesh Singh holding charge of director-general of information and publicity was relieved and Sindhudurg Collector Dilip Pandharpatte brought in to replace him. However, Singh continued as secretary of information and publicity. He also works as the special inspector general of state's cyber cell.

Rajiv Jalota has been shifted from the sales tax department to the rural development department as its additional chief secretary. Sanjeev Kumar who headed the power distribution company will take Jalota's place.

Shaila A will head the power generation company. Aseem Gupta will go to the energy department from rural development. Raigad collector Vijay Suryavanshi has been taken to Pune as the head of its public transport undertaking.

Sources said yet another round of IAS transfers will happen anytime soon. A reshuffle in the police department is also on the cards.

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