Minnie Mathew, an IAS officer of the 1976 batch, assumedcharge as the new Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh today.
Minnie is the second woman IAS officer to become the state ChiefSecretary after Sathi Nair, who held the post in 2002 during ChandrababuNaidu's regime. Both women hailed from Kerala.
Minnie was Chief Commissioner of Land Administration, a postthat ranks next to the Chief Secretary in the state IAS hierarchy. However, shewould hold the post only for eight months as she would retire on February 28,2013.
Notable among her previous postings were as Collector ofHyderabad, Secretary of AP Public Service Commission, Secretary of AP StateElection Commission, Principal Secretary (Industries) and Managing Director ofAP Mineral Development Corporation.
She also served as chairperson of Coconut Board underdeputation to Government of India. She was also the Controller at VikramSarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram.
Minnie succeeds Pankaj Dwivedi of 1975-batch who retiredfrom service on attaining the age of superannuation today.
Dwivedi handed over charge to Minnie this afternoon.
Though there was speculation that Dwivedi would be given athree-month extension, the Chief Minister chose to go for a fresh face keepingwith the tradition being followed over the past few years.
Like some of his predecessors, Dwivedi too may be"rehabilitated" in some other official post in the near future,government sources said.
Meanwhile, two Special Chief Secretary-rank IAS officers ofthe state cadre Sripad Bhale Rao (1975 batch) and G Sudhir (1977) also retiredfrom service today.
Bhale Rao was Special CS of Animal Husbandry Departmentwhile Sudhir headed the Medical and Health Department.
Mahbubnagar district Collector M Purushottam Reddy alsoretired from service today.