Bhubaneswar, Jan 1: Anu Garg formally assumed office as the Chief Secretary of Odisha on Thursday, coinciding with the New Year, marking a historic moment in the state’s administrative journey. She becomes the first woman to hold the top bureaucratic post in Odisha, a milestone widely seen as a step forward for inclusive leadership in the state administration.

Soon after taking charge at Lok Seva Bhawan, Garg extended New Year greetings to the people of Odisha and outlined her broad vision and priorities for the year ahead. Before joining office, she visited the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, where she offered prayers and sought blessings from Lord Jagannath for the welfare and prosperity of the state and its citizens.

On her first day, Anu Garg met Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to discuss key administrative and governance-related issues. She also held detailed discussions with the Health Secretary, reviewing ongoing schemes and identifying areas requiring improvement. Her packed first-day schedule further included a meeting with senior secretaries to identify priority projects, assess departmental requirements, and review expenditure and budgetary needs.

Speaking to the media, Garg stressed the importance of collective effort, stating that the New Year would focus on teamwork, innovation and strengthening Odisha’s long-term vision to ensure meaningful and people-centric development across the state.

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