CHENNAI: In a first major bureaucratic reshuffle after the AIADMK retained power, senior IAS officer Rama Mohan Rao was elevated as Chief Secretary on Wedensday. He replaces K Gnanadesikan, who has been transferred as Chairman and Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO). Rama Mohan Rao will also function as the Vigilance Commissioner and Commissioner for Administrative Reforms.
Rao belongs to the 1985 batch of IAS and hails from Andhra Pradesh. From an Additional Collector in 1987, he has held key positions in many departments - Health, Water Resources, Transport, Social Welfare etc., Housing and Urban Development etc., He also headed the Teachers Recruitment Board in 2007, CMD of Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited and Commissioner, Land Reforms.
On deputation, he had also served as Vice Chairman of Gujarat Maritime Board between August 2001 and October 2003. Since May 16, 2011, Rao has been with the Chief Minister’s office serving as Secretary-I.
Another key appointment was that of retired IAS officer Santha Sheela Nair (65), who will be assuming charge as the Officer on Special Duty at the Chief Minister’s office. After 37 years of service, she retired in 2010. After that, she served as the vice chairperson of the State Planning Commission. During her career in government service, she was known as a ‘no nonsense officer’ and the ‘water woman of Chennai’ because she made rainwater harvesting compulsory in Chennai during the early 2000.
Dr S Vijayakumar, Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Department, has been appointed as Secretary to the Chief Minister. A 1993 batch IAS officer, he had held key positions in various departments during the past 18 years. After Rajesh Lakhoni was made Chief Electoral Officer, Vijayakumar has been looking after Agriculture department also.
Shiv Das Meena, Secretary, Cooperation, Food and Consumer Protection Department, will be joining as Secretary to Chief Minister. KN Venkataramanan, IAS (retd), has been designated as Secretary I to the Chief Minister while A Ramalingam will be Secretary IV to the Chief Minister.
OTHER TRANSFERS: Gagandeep Singh Bedi, will be taking over as Secretary, Agriculture and Agricultural Production Commissioner. So far, he has been Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. Bedi will also hold additional charge of Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Department, until further orders.
Hans Raj Verma will be new Secretary to Rural Development Department. Hitherto, he has been Secretary to Environment and Forests Department.
Atulya Misra, Secretary/Commissioner of Revenue Administration, will be taking over as the Secretary, Environment and Forests Department. He will also fucntion as the Commissioner of Revenue Administration until further orders.
Pradeep Yadav, Secretary/Member Secretary, Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, will be taking over as the Secretary, Cooperation, Food and Consumer Protection Department.