Chhattisgarh found itself in the national spotlight this week as a series of sweeping administrative changes and a high-profile security conference converged in the state capital, Raipur. In a matter of days, the state government executed a significant bureaucratic reshuffle affecting thirteen senior IAS officers, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived to chair the 60th All-India Conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police (DGP-IGP) from November 28 to 30, 2025. The confluence of these events reflects a moment of transition and heightened attention for Chhattisgarh, with implications for governance and national security alike.
According to eGov Magazine, the General Administration Department (GAD) of Chhattisgarh issued official notifications on Thursday, November 27, 2025, announcing the transfer of thirteen IAS officers across major departments. The reshuffle, signed by Secretary Rajat Kumar from Mahanadi Bhawan, Nava Raipur, was described as a large-scale move aimed at streamlining administration ahead of key governmental engagements. The timing was notable, coming just a day before the arrival of the Prime Minister and the start of a major security summit.
The list of transfers reads like a who’s who of Chhattisgarh’s bureaucratic leadership. Shikha Rajput Tiwari, a 2008 batch IAS officer, was reassigned from her role as Commissioner, Medical Education, to Secretary, Chhattisgarh State Election Commission. Dr. Priyanka Shukla (2009 batch) moved from the Health Department to become Commissioner, Samagra Shiksha, with additional responsibility for the Textbook Corporation. Kiran Kaushal, also of the 2009 batch, was shifted from Managing Director, MARKFED, to a Secretary-level post within the state government.
Major changes at the managing director and director levels were also announced. Padum Singh Alma (2010 batch) took charge as Managing Director of the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL), with the added responsibility for the Chhattisgarh Beverages Corporation—his position now carries a senior pay scale. Sanjeev Kumar Jha (2011 batch) was designated Director, Health Services, and will also oversee the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). Jitendra Kumar Shukla (2012 batch) was appointed Managing Director of Markfed, while retaining his additional role as Mission Director, Jal Jeevan Mission. Ritesh Kumar Agarwal (2012 batch), already MD of Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation, will now also serve as Commissioner, Medical Education.
Other notable appointments included Iffat Ara (2012 batch), who moved from Additional Divisional Commissioner, Raipur & Durg, to Special Secretary, Revenue & Disaster Management, as well as Managing Director, Civil Supplies Corporation. Santa Devi Jangde (2016 batch) was given additional charge as Director, AYUSH, while Sukhnath Ahirwar (2016 batch) was posted as Joint Secretary, Sports & Youth Welfare. Dr. Renuka Srivastava (2019 batch) was named Deputy Secretary, Women & Child Development, and Director, WCD. Rita Yadav (2019 batch) became Managing Director, Chhattisgarh Khadi and Village Industries Board, and Lokesh Kumar (2019 batch) was posted as Director, Horticulture, and CEO, Chirag Project.
This wave of transfers comes at a time when Chhattisgarh’s administrative machinery is under the microscope, both internally and from the national stage. As the dust settled on the bureaucratic reshuffle, Raipur was thrust into the national limelight with the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the evening of November 28, 2025. Touching down at Swami Vivekananda Airport around 7 pm, PM Modi was greeted by an array of political dignitaries, including Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai, Governor Raman Deka, Deputy Chief Ministers Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma, and a host of cabinet members and senior BJP leaders.
PM Modi’s visit, his second to Chhattisgarh in recent weeks and the first to include a three-day overnight stay, coincided with the inauguration of the 60th DGP-IGP conference at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) campus in Naya Raipur. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had arrived earlier in the day to inaugurate the event’s key sessions, which were attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, IB Director Tapan Deka, Home Secretary Govind Mohan, and the heads of all state police forces and central agencies, as reported by IANS.
Security in Raipur was nothing short of extraordinary. The city was transformed into a fortress, with multi-layered security arrangements that included the Special Protection Group (SPG), NSG commandos, CRPF, state police, drone surveillance, and traffic diversions. The heightened security reflected both the significance of the conference and the gravity of the topics under discussion.
The conference’s agenda was ambitious, focusing on the most pressing internal security challenges facing India today. According to IANS, discussions centered on countering Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) in Bastar—a region where recent joint operations have decimated Naxal ranks—alongside cybercrime, narcotics trafficking, border management, and the implementation of new criminal laws. Chhattisgarh, in particular, was highlighted as a model for LWE eradication, with recent successes in joint security operations receiving national attention.
PM Modi, known for his hands-on approach to such conferences since 2014, chaired both the business and valedictory sessions on November 29 and 30. He was expected to foster candid dialogue on modern policing and present the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service. In a tweet following his arrival, PM Modi remarked, "After two very special programmes in Karnataka and Goa, landed in Chhattisgarh to take part in the DGP/IGP Conference... There will be extensive interactions with top officials on ways to strengthen India's security apparatus."
The event concluded on the evening of November 30, after which the Prime Minister departed for Delhi. For Chhattisgarh, the hosting of this national security summit—only the second time the state has played host—underscored its growing significance in India’s security landscape.
The convergence of these two major developments—a sweeping administrative reshuffle and a high-level security conclave—signals a pivotal moment for Chhattisgarh. As the state recalibrates its leadership and showcases its progress in internal security, the eyes of the nation remain fixed on its next steps. For now, Chhattisgarh stands as both a laboratory for administrative reform and a frontline in the ongoing battle for national security.