THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the new government almost fixing the imbroglio for ministerial berths, a major reshuffle of senior level..
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the new government almost fixing the imbroglio for ministerial berths, a major reshuffle of senior level bureaucrats right from the Chief Secretary is on the cards. According to sources, a reshuffle of senior IAS officers in the state is in the offing in a week's time.
The Chief Secretary's post is being keenly discussed in the political and administrative circles for which many names are doing the rounds including that of the seniormost bureaucrat from the state cadre K Mohandas, who had missed the plum post of Cabinet Secretary by a whisker.Top sources said that after the name of the new Cabinet Secretary was announced, Mohandas was seriously considering coming back to the state which would mean that he would be the natural choice for the post of Chief Secretary.
After Mohandas, the next four in line Union Heavy Industries Secretary S Sundareshan, DirectorGeneral of National Institute of Rural Development Mathew C Kunnumkal, AIDS Control Department Secretary Sayan Chatterjee (all from 1976 batch) and Special Secretary, Ministry of Finance, K Jose Cyriac (1977 batch) who are of Chief Secretary grade have at least one more year even before their deputation term ends. Incumbent Chief Secretary P Prabhakaran and Additional Chief Secretary K Jayakumar of 1978 batch come next in the seniority ladder. Present Chief Secretary P Prabhakaran reportedly had been considering vacating the post as he is looking for a Central deputation in the National Biodiversity Authority, Chennai. But this is least likely to happen, sources said, adding that he will have to be given another suitable posting if Mohandas prefers to come back. Meanwhile, the new ministers are also looking for new secretaries for their departments. "There is no clarity in anything for the time being. But we have come to know that the Chief Minister had asked the ministers to give their preference for secretaries in the departments. So a major reshuffle is imminent," a senior officer told Express. There are a number of officers like IT Secretary K Suresh Kumar, who is in the hitlist of the UDF, who may be replaced immediately. Despite the UDF, which is known for giving a free hand to bureaucrats, back in power, certain officers are still keen on opting for Central deputation. "The decisionmaking rate in the state is already very low. Now that the government is surviving on a waferthin majority, the rate would drop further.
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