State health secretary Sanjay Mitra (left) takes over as Bengal’s 23rd chief secretary, and the youngest, from Samar Ghosh (right) at Writers’ on Sunday. The 1982-batch IAS officer returned to the state in July 2011 after a stint in Delhi, during which he worked in several departments and the Prime Minister’s Office. Sources said the chief minister chose the 52-year-old for the top post over 13 officers senior to him because of his experience in handling key jobs in Delhi. He was appointed additional chief secretary on September 27 to pave the way for Sunday’s elevation. Ghosh, a 1977-batch IAS officer, was chief secretary when the Trinamul government was sworn in, having been appointed to the post on September 30, 2010. He had retired on March 30 but his term was extended by six months. “The revised term ended on September 30. Since the post can’t remain vacant even for a day, the handover ceremony had to be held on a Sunday,” said a source. Higher education secretary Satish Chandra Tiwari succeeds Mitra in the health department. (Sanat Kr. Sinha)