In a significant administrative restructuring on December 23, 2025, the Gujarat government transferred 26 senior IAS officers, fundamentally reshaping the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and key state departments. The reshuffle, triggered by the recent elevation of M.K. Das as Chief Secretary, saw Sanjeev Kumar (1998 batch) taking the helm as Principal Secretary to the CM with additional charge of the Home Department. This major realignment touches critical sectors including Home, Finance, Education, Energy, and Agriculture, aimed at accelerating governance delivery for the 2026 fiscal year.
The New CMO Team (Chief Minister’s Office)
The CMO has undergone a complete transformation with the following key appointments:
| Officer | New Designation | Additional Charge / Note |
| Sanjeev Kumar | Principal Secretary to CM | PS, Home Department (Relieving M.K. Das) |
| Dr. Vikrant Pandey | Addl. Principal Secretary to CM | Secretary, Information & Broadcasting |
| Ajay Kumar | Secretary to CM | VC & CEO, Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) |
Departmental Leadership Changes
The reshuffle impacts several high-profile state departments and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs):
1. Energy, Petrochemicals & Industry
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Ashwani Kumar: Appointed PS, Energy and Petrochemicals, replacing S.J. Haider (retiring Dec 31).
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Mrs. Avantika Singh: Moved from CMO to become MD, Gujarat State Petrochemicals Corporation (GSPC), with additional charges of GSPC LNG and Gujarat Gas.
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Dr. Kuldeep Arya: Appointed Secretary, Industries and Mines, while retaining charge of the Dholera and Mandal-Bechraji SIR projects.
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Rajkumar Beniwal: Appointed MD, GNFC, relieving T. Natarajan.
2. Finance & Revenue
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Sandeep Kumar: Appointed Secretary, Finance (Economic Affairs).
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Jenu Devan: Appointed Secretary, Finance (Expenditure); continues as MD, GUVNL.
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Ms. Aarti Kanwar: Transferred as Chief Commissioner, State Tax, Ahmedabad.
3. Education & Health
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Mukesh Kumar: Now exclusively PS, Education (Higher & Technical Education).
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Milind S. Torwane: Appointed PS, Education (Primary & Secondary Education).
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Rajeev Topno: Moves to PS, Health and Family Welfare department.
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Dr. Sandhya Bhullar: (On repatriation) Appointed Commissioner of Health (Urban).
4. Agriculture & Rural Development
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Arun Kumar M. Solanki: Appointed ACS, Agriculture (Co-operation/Animal Husbandry) & MD, Warehousing Corp.
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Ramesh Chand Meena: Appointed PS, Agriculture, Farmers Welfare & Co-operation.
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Dhananjay Dwivedi: Appointed PS, Panchayats, Rural Housing and Rural Development.
| Focus Area | Administrative Strategy |
| Internal Security | By giving Sanjeev Kumar the dual charge of the CMO and the Home Department, the government ensures direct oversight of law and order from the top office. |
| Maritime & Logistics | Ajay Kumar’s role at the GMB signals a push for Gujarat’s port-led development and the upcoming “Vibrant Gujarat” maritime initiatives. |
| Environment & Climate | Dr. Vinod Rao moves to Forests and Environment, while Dr. Rahul Gupta takes over Sports & Youth, while retaining charge of Climate Change. |
