Ranchi, April 1: Amit Khare, who as West Singhbhum DC in the 1990s was one of the first to smell a huge rat in Chaibasa treasury fodder bills that went on to become Lalu Prasad's nemesis, became Jharkhand's new finance secretary today.

In a major bureaucratic and police reshuffle, the Raghubar Das government effected 24 IAS and IPS reshuffles. But, the appointment of the 1985-batch IAS officer Khare as finance secretary, who will replace Rajbala Verma, once back from central deputation, was probably the one with most far-reaching consequences.

Khare's better-half Nidhi Khare (1992 batch IAS) is also set to join state government as soon as her central deputation ends. She will now be commercial taxes department secretary-cum-commissioner. Present commercial taxes secretary M.R. Meena has been transferred to rural works department in the same capacity.

Also, arguably the most crucial among IPS reshuffles, the state gave charge of additional director general (ADG), operations, to S.N. Pradhan. Pradhan, who was ADG (CID), will take charge from Anil Palta. Palta will now be ADG, training and modernisation.

The rest of bureaucratic reshuffles included a fair amount of surprises, too. CM's principal secretary Sanjay Kumar (Bihar-cadre IAS officer, 1990) will be the new principal secretary of state information and public relations department (IPRD). IPRD was earlier held by Meena as an additional charge.

State personnel department's principal secretary S.K. Satpathy gets additional charge of principal secretary of cabinet co-ordination. Principal secretary in water resources department Sukhdev Singh will handle additional charge of MD, Greater Ranchi Development Authority (GRDA), the agency tasked with constructing a new capital.

Vice-chairperson of Ranchi Regional Development Authority (RRDA) Beena Shrivastava has been transferred to health in capacity of additional commissioner-cum-special secretary. Ranchi municipal commissioner Prashant Kumar would hold additional charge of RRDA vice-chairperson.

CM's secretary S.K. Barnwal has been given additional charge of IT while revenue and land reforms secretary K.K. Soan will hold additional charge of building construction.

Co-operative department's principal secretary Alka Tiwary has been transferred as commissioner-cum-principal secretary in cabinet (vigilance).

Kolhan commissioner Arun has been given additional charge of administrator of Subernarekha Multi-purpose Project (SMP). Tourism department secretary Avinash Kumar has been given additional charge of art, culture, sports and youth affairs. Former art, culture, sports and youth affairs secretary Vandana Dadel has been posted as the secretary of welfare.

Waiting for posting, newly promoted IAS Jata Shankar Choudhary would be director, agriculture. R.A. Ekka, former secretary of welfare would now be secretary of co-operative department.

Senior IAS Vishnu Kumar has been transferred as board of revenue member. He would hold additional charge of state finance commission.

Among the other noteworthy IPS reshuffles, ADG (headquarters) B.B. Pradhan would now be ADG (rail) while ADG (training and modernisation) V.H. Deshmukh would now be ADG (vigilance-cum-security) at Jharkhand Rajya Urja Nigam Limited. Former Special Branch ADG Rezi Dungdung would now head CID in the same capacity. Ajay Bhatnagar, former additional resident commissioner in Jharkhand Bhavan, Delhi, would be ADG (headquarters) now.

Anurag Gupta, who was IG (provisions) would now be IG, special branch.