THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid reports of a rift within the cabinet over the sudden transfer of bureaucrats, several ministers — including P K Kunhalikutty, K Muraleedharan and A P Anilkumar — have said that there are no major issues in the inter-departmental movement of IAS officers.
Despite being a portfolio which witnessed major transfers, including that of the department’s director, Industries Minister Kunhalikutty refrained from commenting.
“Those are internal affairs and I will not discuss them before the media. When a new government comes with tall promises, serious discussions are going on about how to implement the same, and my department is working towards addressing the unemployment here,” he told reporters.
Even as six collectors were shifted, Revenue Minister Anilkumar told TNIE that there are no major issues with the transfers. Health Minister Muraleedharan also refuted the reports.
“There have been no major changes in my departments, and I don’t have any such complaints,” Muraleedharan said.
The issue stirred up when as many as 16 IAS officers in the state were transferred across the state. Major changes include the appointment of GST commissioner Patil Ajit Bhagwatrao as the secretary in the finance (resources) department, while transport special secretary P B Nooh was posted as GST commissioner. Notably, the order was issued by Chief Secretary A Jayathilak.