Anu Garg, a 1991-batch IAS officer, has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of Odisha, becoming the first woman to hold the state's top bureaucratic post. She will succeed Manoj Ahuja upon his retirement on December 31. Garg currently serves as Development Commissioner and has held significant roles in various state departments and at the central level, including the PMO. Her appointment is seen as a significant step for gender representation in the state's administration.