Kolkata, 18 May (H.S.): In a major administrative move aimed at ensuring transparent and corruption-free governance, the newly formed West Bengal government led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday appointed several West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) officers as “Executive Assistants” to ministers in the state cabinet.

According to a notification issued by the State Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, the officers have been directed to assume their new responsibilities immediately. Sources said the officers were selected on the basis of their clean image, transparent work record and politically neutral administrative background.

Biswanath Chowdhury, a 2013-batch WBCS officer, has been appointed Executive Assistant to Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Dilip Ghosh. He is currently serving as Deputy Secretary of the Hooghly Zilla Parishad.

Meanwhile, Krishna Chandra Munda, a 2016-batch officer, has been appointed Executive Assistant to Backward Classes Development Minister Khudiram Tudu. He is presently posted as Deputy Magistrate-cum-Deputy Collector in Bankura district.

Another 2016-batch officer, Kaushik Kumar Maiti, has been appointed Executive Assistant to Food & Supplies and Cooperation Minister Ashok Kirtaniya. He is currently serving as District Planning Officer of South 24 Parganas.

A senior official at Nabanna said the service records of the officers were thoroughly reviewed before the appointments were finalised. Priority was reportedly given to officers known for integrity, transparency and impartial administrative functioning.

Following the formation of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s first government in West Bengal after Independence, wide-ranging changes have begun in the state’s administrative structure. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has already initiated major reshuffles in the Chief Minister’s Office and the state secretariat, with several transfers and administrative reorganisations carried out over the past few weeks.

The new government has also ended the extended service tenure of 243 officials above the age of 60 who had continued in service during the tenure of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In addition, two IAS officers were recently appointed to the Chief Minister’s Office.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh