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Tag: Secretary

  • Odisha CM Drops Higher Education Minister, Shifts Secretary

    Odisha CM Drops Higher Education Minister, Shifts Secretary

    Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday dropped higher education minister Rohit Pujari from the council of ministers and shifted department secretary Bishnupada Sethi to an inconsequential post, sources in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said on Friday.

    Officials said that Patnaik assigned Pujari’s department to food and supplies minister Atanu S Nayak.

    Hours after dropping Pujari, the government also transferred Bishnupoada Sethi, IAS, from the post of secretary for higher education and posted him as an Officer of Special Duty (OSD) in the General Administration department, considered a not so important job.

    Sethi, was also removed from his additional charge as chairman of the Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC). He was replaced by another IAS officer Aravind Aagrwal.

    The action against the minister and the department secretary, sources, said was mainly due to non-performance of the higher education department. Patnaik, who reviewed the performance of all the departments from May 22 to June 2, found higher education department to be the worst performer.

    Pujari, a two-time MLA, said, “I have given my best for the improvement of the higher education department. I do not know, the government might be expecting more. I will do whatever work is assigned to me by the party.”

    The MLA, a prominent leader from the state’s western region, was recently in the news after he said politicians above 60 years should remain away from politics.

    A lawmaker from Rairakhol, Pujari was inducted in June last year.

    Earlier in May this year during a minor reshuffle, the chief minister had asked school and mass education minister Samir Ranjan Dash and labour minister Srikant Sahoo to resign. Two new ministers, Sudam Marndi and Sarada Prasad Nayak, were inducted in place of Dash and Sahoo.

    B K Arukha, who had resigned from the post of Speaker, was also inducted in the Cabinet and given finance portfolio.

    With Pujari being dropped, the ministry’s strength now stands at 21 including the chief minister.

    -With PTI Input

  • Biofuels has a huge role to play in the Energy Quadrilemma: Secretary MoP&NG

    Biofuels has a huge role to play in the Energy Quadrilemma: Secretary MoP&NG

    Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Pankaj Jain highlighted the role of Biofuels and the importance of G20 countries collaboration in achieving the full potential of biofuels, for a cleaner and greener tomorrow. He was addressing the Global Biofuel Alliance Seminar, organised by MoP&NG on the side lines of the 3rd Energy Transition Working Group Meeting in Mumbai on 15th May 2023.

    Shri Pankaj Jain, Secretary (MoPNG), in his keynote address, focused on the untapped potential in biofuels and its increasing appeal from clean energy transition, wide-ranging application, techno-commercial viability, and financing standpoints.

    (Secretary MoPNG making key note address at “Seminar on Biofuels” on the sidelines of 3rd Energy Transition Working group meeting in Mumbai, Maharashtra)

    Secretary Petroleum also laid emphasis on the importance of biofuels in boosting economic prosperity, energy security, access, and affordability while being sustainable and supporting decarbonization. “Technology advancements provide multiple biofuel feedstock options (i.e., sugarcane, corn, agriculture waste, bamboo, etc.)and further cooperation across G20 nations can help in further development of the Global Bio-fuels market and realize biofuels’ full potential”, added Shri Jain.

    The all-important seminar had a gathering of Chairpersons and executives from several Oil & Gas majors and leaders from numerous international energy organizations like IEA, Total Energies, Shell, Lanzatech, SHV Energy Futuria elaborated on pertinent technologies, use cases, partnerships, and business potential. The forum widely acknowledged the expanding bio-fuel relevance (e.g., SAF alcohol to jet, biodiesel, and compressed biogas aligned to ethanol production, renewable DME, etc.).

    The seminar witnessed whole-hearted participation and encouragement from the Oil & Gas Industry, international organizations such as IEA and Biofuture platform, representatives of G20 countries, industry bodies such as CII and ASSOCHAM, major automobile manufacturers, producers, and significant technology providers well as their associations.