VIJAYAWADA: Anil Chandra Punetha took charge as the new Chief Secretary on Sunday. He took charge from the outgoing Chief Secretary Dinesh Kumar at Secretariat in Velagapudi.
Expressing happiness over being made the Chief Secretary, Punetha said it was a position in which one has to face several challenges, more so in Andhra Pradesh, post bifurcation. Punetha said the State government was striving to increase the income of every family in a bid to improve people’s living standards. “Every programme initiated in that direction will be implemented in a foolproof manner,” he assured.
Focus will be on improving various welfare schemes being implemented in the rural areas to get better results, he said, and guaranteeing a result-oriented administration. He also ratified some of the State government orders that were to be discussed in the next Cabinet meeting scheduled to be held on October 3. On being asked about the happiest moment in his 35-years of service, Punetha said it was the distribution of three to five acres of land to landless poor in Rajampet of Kadapa district as the sub-collector, his first posting. Several officials, including collectors from different districts, representatives of employee unions’ and others congratulated the new Chief Secretary on the occasion.
Punetha has worked in different posts, including joint collector in different districts, district collector, commissioner of various departments, secretary and principal secretary and Chief Commissioner of Land Administration (CCLA).