Tripura Government Burdened by Senior Officer Shortage, Assigns Multiple Additional Charges to Senior Bureaucrats

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, August 7, 2026

The Tripura Government has once again highlighted the acute shortage of senior-level bureaucrats by assigning multiple additional responsibilities to several IAS and IFS officers. A series of notifications issued by the General Administration (Personnel & Training) Department on Thursday show that many senior officers are now handling two, three, or even more key assignments simultaneously to ensure the smooth functioning of the administration.

The latest reshuffle follows the transfer of Smt. Deepa D Nair, IFS (TR:2001) to the Government of India on Central deputation as Chief Executive Officer (Joint Secretary level) of the Coconut Development Board, Kochi, under the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. She has been relieved from her responsibilities as Secretary to the Government of Tripura in charge of the Animal Resources Development, Fisheries and Scheduled Castes Welfare Departments.

Following her departure, the State Government has entrusted Shri S Prabhu, IFS (TR:2009) with the independent charge of Special Secretary for the Animal Resources Development, Fisheries and Scheduled Castes Welfare Departments. Significantly, Shri Prabhu is already serving as CEO and Project Director of the IGDC-CREFLAT Project and is also holding the additional charge of In-charge Chief Conservator of Forests (IT & Statistics), making him responsible for several major assignments simultaneously.

In another order, Shri Rajib Datta, IAS, who is currently serving as Director of Panchayats, has been assigned the additional responsibility of Ex-Officio Additional Secretary to the Government in the Rural Development (Panchayats) Department, adding another important administrative role to his existing duties.

Similarly, Dr. Samit Roy Choudhury, IAS, who is already serving as Director of Elementary Education, Director of Secondary Education, State Project Director of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan and Registrar of SIPARD, has now been given the additional charge of Ex-Officio Additional Secretary to the Government in the Education (School) Department. The latest assignment further increases his already extensive administrative responsibilities.

The latest appointments indicate that the state administration is increasingly relying on a limited number of senior officers to manage multiple departments and key administrative functions. While the official notifications state that the additional charges have been assigned in the interest of public service, the growing concentration of responsibilities among a handful of officers reflects the continuing shortage of senior-level officers in the Tripura Government. The additional charges have come into effect immediately and will remain in force until further orders.

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