CHENNAI: The State government has effected two key transfers: Senior IAS officer A Karthik has been appointed as the new Home Secretary, while bringing back another senior IAS officer, Rajesh Lakhoni, as the head of Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited, Chennai. Theni district Collector R Vaithinathan has also been transferred.
A Karthik replaced K Manivasan, who will assume charge as the Commissioner of Land Administration, a post hitherto held by Rajesh Lakhoni. Karthik had hitherto functioned as the CMD of Tamil Nadu Small Industries Development Corporation (TANSIDCO).
V Arun Roy, CMD of TNEB/TNPDCL (and chairman of the three other power companies), has been transferred and posted as Secretary, Finance (Expenditure), replacing N Venkatesh, who will take over as the new Secretary to the Agriculture Department. He replaces N Subbaiyan.
Recently, there were criticisms that the government has not appointed a full-time secretary to the Agriculture Department after the transfer of P Shankar, who was hitherto functioning as the Agriculture Secretary.
Lakhoni will take over as the CMD of TNPDCL, Chennai. He will also function as Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Power Generation Corporation, Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation and Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation.
The State government bringing back Lakhoni to the TNEB is significant considering the recent power outages across the State, and the government has to face a lot of criticism from the public as well as the political parties.
Lakhoni headed Tamil Nadu's power-sector organisations from May 17, 2021, to October 2024, serving as the CMD of TNEB Limited and TANGEDCO, and as Chairman of TANTRANSCO. He later held additional charge of the TNPGC and Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation.
V Sivakrishnamurthy, Joint Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD Board), has been transferred and posted as Theni Collector, replacing R Vaithinathan who will be taking over as the Joint Managing Director of the TWAD Board.