Mr. Ashok Kumar Meena is an IAS officer from 1993 batch. Throughout his career, he has successfully delivered results on many challenging projects related to Investment and Trade Promotion, Infrastructure Financing and PPP project formulation, E-Governance, Management of PSUs, WTO and Development issues and Single Window Clearances for implementation of Industrial Projects.
He is also credited with the implementation of the Orissa R & R Policy 2006, considered to be one of the best Rehabilitation and Resettlement policies of the country. Currently, Mr. Meena serves as a Joint Secretary with the Department of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare.
Mr. Ashok Kumar Meena completed his B.Tech. in Computer Science & Engineering in 1992 from IIT Kanpur. In 1993, he joined the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) and since then has worked in different capacities with the State and the Central Governments, in particular with the Orissa government. Alongside his administrative responsibilities, he continued increasing his knowledge in subjects of his interest.
Mr. Meena started out as an IAS officer trainee in the Mayurbhanj District of Orissa. He later donned the roles of an Assistant Collector at Mayurbhanj, a Sub Collector and SDM at Berhampur, and a Project Director at Ganjam, Orissa. His work in the rural and tribal belts of Orissa brought him face-to-face with the real India and impacted him tremendously. From June 2000 to April 2001, he was posted at Keonjhar as a Collector and District Magistrate. At Keonjhar, a mineral rich area, he played a daunting task of maintaining cordial relations between mine owners and workers. He also ensured that the Gram Panchayats participated actively in discussing and debating the various development issues related to education, health, roads, agriculture etc. thus resulting in a responsive and inclusive governance in the district. From 2001 to 2006, he worked with the different ministries and departments of the Government of India including the Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Human Resources and Development, and the Department of Commerce. During that time, he was involved with many crucial projects such as formulation and enactment of SEZ Act 2005, preparation of National Water Policy, solving river water disputes and many more. Owing to this work, he developed an interest for International Trade, and Export Promotion issues and Policy Making.
In 2006, Mr. Meena again joined the Orissa Government as the Managing Director of IDDCO. During his one-year tenure at IDDCO, the corporation grew by more than 125%. He also implemented the Orissa R & R Policy, 2006 considered to be one of the best Rehabilitation and Resettlement policies of the country. As a Revenue Divisional Commissioner for Central and Northern Division, he administered 10 districts of Orissa and also worked as the Chief Administrator for the world famous Shri Jagannath Temple at Puri. Till 2011, he worked with the5 Orissa government on Industrial Promotion, Single Window Facilitation and externally aided projects.
Currently, Mr. Ashok Kumar Meena works as the Joint Secretary of the Department of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare. He continues to strive to contribute substantially towards the policy formulation, required in the changed economic context, where public services can be delivered with an effective private sector participation. In future, he wishes to get involved with the International Development for poverty reduction.
