New Delhi, Jan 3 (IANS): The Jammu and Kashmir government has carried out an administrative reshuffle of IAS officers including posting Navin Kumar Choudhary as the Principal Secretary, Education.

As part of the transfers and postings of seven officials announced on Thursday by the UT's General Administration Department, Choudhary, a 1994 IAS batch officer, who was Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, and held additional charge as Administrative Secretary, Tourism, will be the Principal Secretary, Education with charge as Administrative Secretary, Technical Education Department, relieving KAS officer Zubair Ahmad, Secretary, Culture Department, of the post's additional charge.

Choudhary, as Principal Secretary, Education, will coordinate speedy processing and disposal of all policy matters pertaining to the School Education and Higher Education Departments, and Administrative Secretaries of both the Departments shall submit papers of their Departments related to policy matters through the Principal Secretary, Education, the order said.

Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, a 1997 batch IAS officer, who was Secretary, Forest, Ecology and Environment, and held additional charge of Administrative Secretary, Social Welfare Department, will be the new Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department.

Hirdesh Kumar, a 1999 batch IAS officer, who was Secretary, Power Development Department, will be the new Secretary, School Education Department. He shall also hold the charge of Administrative Secretary, Social Welfare Department, till further orders.

Sarita Chauhan, also a 1999 batch IAS officer, who was Secretary, School Education Department, will now be Secretary, Forest, Ecology and Environment Department.

M. Raju, a 2005 batch IAS officer, who was Managing Director, J&K Project Construction Corporation, and holding additional charge of Excise Commissioner, J&K, has been now posted as Secretary, Power Development Department. He will also hold additional charge as Managing Director, J&K Power Corporation Ltd and Managing Director, J&K Power Development Corporation Ltd.

Khurshid Ahmad Shah, a 2000 batch IAS officer, who was Secretary, Public Works (R&B) Department, will also hold the charge of Managing Director, J&K Project Construction Corporation.

Bhupinder Kumar, a 2011 batch IAS officer, who was Mission Director, National Health Mission/CEO Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna, has been given additional charge as Excise Commissioner, J&K.

Zubair Ahmad, KAS, who was Secretary, Culture Department, will also hold the charge of Administrative Secretary, Tourism Department, till further orders, the order issued with the consent of the Lt Governor said.