Hridesh takes voluntary retirement, Sunil on long leave; Vijay Pal gets addl charge of DIPR

Jaipur: In the past week, two significant developments have occurred in the state’s IAS cadre. One IAS officer took voluntary retirement, while another went on a long leave.

IAS officer Hridesh Kumar Sharma, a 2017 batch promotee officer, left government service after taking voluntary retirement on 11 November. With seven months remaining until his scheduled retirement in June 2025, Sharma decided to step down as he is taking care of his ailing mother.

At his departure, Sharma was serving as the Commissioner for Skill and Employment. He had also been given the additional responsibility of Managing Director of the Skill Development Corporation just last month.

Hridesh Kumar Sharma, who had previously served as Director of Local Bodies for two years during the previous government, was also transferred to Barmer as collector. However, he expressed his reluctance to take up the posting, and his transfer was subsequently cancelled.

Although Sharma had submitted his application for VRS in October, the Department of Personnel (DOP) relaxed the usual three-month notice period and approved his request within just one month.

Meanwhile, Sunil Sharma, the Commissioner of the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), has taken a long leave of 20 days for family reasons. His leave comes at a crucial time, just ahead of the “Rising Rajasthan” event, scheduled to take place from 9 to 11 December.

The DIPR’s role in this major event is vital.

Sunil Sharma, who took charge of the DIPR in January 2024 with the formation of the new government, took 20-day leave due to a family emergency. His wife, IAS officer Hem Pushpa Sharma, suddenly fell ill and is currently hospitalised.

The Department of Personnel has assigned the additional responsibility of DIPR to Vijay Pal Singh, a 2008-batch promotee IAS officer. Vijay Pal, who is currently serving as the Commissioner of the Tourism Department, has been entrusted with managing DIPR’s operations during this crucial period.

The “Rising Rajasthan” event, which will take place from 9 to 11 December, includes an entire day dedicated to tourism, making Vijay Pal’s new responsibility even more significant. As the head of the Tourism Department, he already has big responsibilities and now he has the additional charge of DIPR.

Vijay Pal’s image has been that of a silent performer. He is now tasked with managing two significant responsibilities during the “Rising Rajasthan” event.

Given that both the Tourism and DIPR departments have interlinked roles in the event, his experience makes him well-equipped to handle both duties seamlessly.

Vijay Pal brings valuable experience to the table, having been involved in similar investment events during the previous government when he served as Additional Commissioner for the Bureau of Investment Promotion (BIP). He also served as the Managing Director of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) from 2022 to 2024, during which he played a pivotal role in reviving the luxury train “Palace on Wheels,” bringing it back on track.

Vijay Pal is set to retire in February 2025, and there is ongoing speculation about his potential appointment to a constitutional post after his retirement, given his considerable expertise and leadership in tourism and administration.

DoP has handed over the addl charge of Commissioner Skill Development to Pushpa Satyani (Commissioner EGS) &, charge of MD Skill Development Corporation to Dr Samit Sharma (Secy Animal Husbandry). Now Samit has become the CMD of this Corporation.