Thiruvananthapuram: In the first major reshuffle since assuming office, the UDF government on Monday carried out a significant IAS reshuffle, posting reinstated officers N Prasanth and B Ashok to key positions while effecting wide-ranging changes across departments and public sector undertakings.
Key Appointments
N Prasanth, who was under suspension for over one and a half years, has been posted as special secretary of the sports department, with additional charge of youth affairs, zoos, museum, archaeology, and archives departments. B Ashok, who was reinstated into service, was posted as principal secretary of the higher education department.
Power and Energy Sector Changes
M G Rajamanickam, secretary of the revenue and disaster management department, was appointed chairman and managing director (MD) of KSEB. He will also hold additional charges of the power, environment, and parliamentary affairs departments while continuing his responsibilities in the devaswom department.
Minhaj Alam, chairman and MD of KSEB, was transferred as additional chief secretary of the agriculture department and agriculture production commissioner. He was also given additional charge of the sports, youth affairs, zoos, museum, archaeology, and archives departments.
Health and Welfare Departments
Sharmila Mary Joseph was shifted from the woman and child development (WCD) department to the health and family welfare department as principal secretary and was also given charge of the food and civil supplies and consumer affairs department. Raju Narayanaswamy was moved from parliamentary affairs to the Sainik welfare department as principal secretary.
Local Self Government and Transport
T V Anupama was transferred from the local self government department (LSGD) to the transport department and was entrusted with additional charges of airports, metro rail, personnel and administrative reforms, and official language departments. Rathan U Kelkar, secretary to the chief minister, was given additional charge of the coastal shipping and inland navigation department, information and public relations department, and welfare of the elderly department.
Forests and Public Works
Biju K was shifted from the public works department (PWD) to the forests and wildlife department and was also assigned skill development and cashew departments.
Revenue and Disaster Management
Jeevan Babu K, commissioner of land revenue, was posted as special secretary of the revenue and disaster management department, while Suhas S, MD of roads and bridges development corporation of Kerala (RBDCK), was transferred as special secretary of the water resources department. Adeela Abdulla was moved to the PWD as special secretary, while Shanavas S was posted as special secretary of LSGD with additional responsibilities in RBDCK, the capital region development project, and the social audit society.
Education and Minority Welfare
D Sajith Babu, registrar of co-operative societies, was posted as special secretary of the general education department and given additional charge of minority welfare. T V Subhash was shifted to the agriculture department as special secretary, while Sheeba George was moved to the WCD department with additional charges of labour, dairy development, and animal husbandry.
Land Revenue and Disaster Management
H Dineshan, executive director of Kudumbashree, was appointed commissioner of land revenue and also given charge of the disaster management commissioner.
Local Self Government and Health Projects
Divya S Iyer was posted as principal director of LSGD and was also entrusted with the Kerala Solid Waste Management Project and the National AYUSH Mission.
Collegiate Education and Entrance Examinations
Afsana Perween was appointed director of collegiate education with additional charge of the controller of entrance examinations.
Finance and Ports
Geromic George was posted as additional secretary and officer on special duty in the finance department and was also given charge of Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd and the Kerala Maritime Board.
Health and Medical Services
Renu Raj, returning from study leave, was posted as additional secretary of the health and family welfare department and was assigned additional responsibilities in Kerala Medical Services Corporation, Kerala Health Research and Welfare Society, and the State Health Systems Resource Centre.
Revenue and Public Works
Shibu A was transferred as additional secretary of the revenue department, while Vinod V R was posted as additional secretary of PWD.
