Dr Brundha D Takes Charge as SSEPD Commissioner-cum-Secretary

Bhubaneswar: Senior IAS officer Dr Brundha D on Wednesday assumed charge as Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Odisha Government’s Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD).

After taking charge, Dr Brundha sought the cooperation and collective support of departmental officers and employees to strengthen the state’s efforts towards social security, dignity, inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities and senior citizens.

She was welcomed by SSEPD officials, including Special Secretary Jayashree Tripathi, Financial Advisor-cum-Special Secretary, Additional Secretaries Deepak Routray, Sonia Behera and Bhaskar Raito, along with other senior officers and employees.

Dr Brundha subsequently held discussions with senior departmental officials and received a detailed briefing on the department’s mandate, major welfare initiatives, ongoing programmes, organisational matters and key intervention areas concerning persons with disabilities, senior citizens, transgender persons and other vulnerable sections.

Emphasising the need for stronger coordination, she called for streamlined administrative processes to ensure that welfare schemes and programmes are implemented efficiently, transparently and within stipulated timelines.

She stressed that social security benefits should reach intended beneficiaries effectively and without unnecessary delays. She also urged officials to maintain close coordination and effective communication at all levels of the department.

The new Commissioner-cum-Secretary further highlighted the importance of technology, data-driven monitoring and stronger field-level coordination to improve implementation, monitoring and delivery of welfare schemes and social security initiatives.