TNI Bureau: Hours after the Central government accepted V K Pandian’s resignation and granted him voluntary retirement from service (VRS), the Odisha government today appointed him as as Chairman 5T (Transformational Initiatives) and Nabin Odisha.

The Naveen Patnaik-led government also gave him the rank of the Cabinet Minister and said that he shall work directly under the CM.

“Shri V K Pandian is hereby appointed as Chairman 5T (Transformational Initiatives) and Nabin Odisha in the rank of Cabinet Minister,” said the notification issued by the General Administration and Public Grievance Department.

“Shri Pandian shall work directly under the Chief Minister” said the notification issued by the General Administration and Public Grievance Department,” it added.

The Centre on Monday approved the application for VRS of Pandian, a 2000-batch Odisha cadre IAS officer & Private Secretary to Odisha CM. He had applied for VRS on October 20.