Key Highlights

• 35 officers moved: The Kerala government on Monday transferred 35 IAS officers across key departments, including Home, Finance, Power, Health and Industries.
• Finance–Home swap: K.R. Jyothilal moves from Finance to Home and Vigilance, while Minhaj Alam becomes Additional Chief Secretary, Finance.
• New KSEB chief: Prasanth N is the new Chairman and Managing Director of the Kerala State Electricity Board. Outgoing KSEB head M.G. Rajamanickam goes to Local Self Government.
• Health and Power: Mohammed Hanish takes Health and Family Welfare, and Puneet Kumar becomes Additional Chief Secretary, Power.
• Returning officers: M. Beena and Jafar Malik, both back from central deputation, get Industries and State GST respectively.

The Kerala government has reshuffled its senior bureaucracy. On Monday it transferred 35 IAS officers and changed who runs some of the state’s most important departments, including Home, Finance, Power, Health and Industries.

The order covers both senior and junior officers, and several of them have been given additional charges along with their new postings. A reshuffle on this scale changes more than names on office doors. It decides who will handle the state’s finances, law and order, power supply and public health in the months ahead.

The most significant move is a direct swap between Finance and Home. K.R. Jyothilal, Additional Chief Secretary in the Finance Department, has been shifted to the Home and Vigilance departments. He will also hold additional charge of Water Resources, Housing and Coir. Minhaj Alam, who was in charge of Home and Vigilance, has been appointed Additional Chief Secretary, Finance. He will also look after Taxes, Public Procurement Advisory and the Rebuild Kerala Initiative.

Power, health and industry get new leadership

The power sector sees two important changes. Puneet Kumar, who was handling Water Resources, has been posted as Additional Chief Secretary, Power. He will continue as Resident Commissioner at Kerala House in New Delhi. At the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), Prasanth N has been appointed Chairman and Managing Director, and he will keep charge of the Sports and Youth Affairs Department. M.G. Rajamanickam, who was heading the KSEB, has been posted as Secretary, Local Self Government Department.

In health, Mohammed Hanish has been appointed Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare. He will also hold charge of Ayush, General Education, Waqf and Minority Welfare. Sharmila Mary Joseph, who was Principal Secretary, Health, moves to the Transport Department. Subhash T.V. has been placed at the disposal of the Health Department for appointment as Managing Director of the Kerala Medical Services Corporation.

M. Beena, back from central deputation, has been appointed Principal Secretary, Industries. Jafar Malik, also returning from central deputation, becomes Commissioner of the Kerala State Goods and Services Tax Department.

Other appointments include:

• Anupama T.V., Secretary, Local Self Government, shifted to Finance (Expenditure)
• Veena N. Madhavan, Secretary, Agriculture
• P.B. Nooh, Special Secretary, Labour
• Afsana Perween, Managing Director, MILMA, after returning from leave

The order also covers Tourism, Higher Education, Science and Technology, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development, Disaster Management, and Electronics and Information Technology.

What it means for governance

Many of the new postings are in departments that the public deals with directly. Finance, State GST and Expenditure now have new officers at a time when revenue collection and spending control remain under close watch. Changes at KSEB and in the Power department will matter to every electricity consumer in the state. In health, the reshuffle brings new leadership to the department and to the corporation that handles the procurement of medicines and medical supplies.

Several senior officers will also be handling large combined portfolios. How quickly they settle into these roles will decide whether this reshuffle improves the administration’s pace.

With inputs from IANS.

Key Highlights

• 35 officers moved: The Kerala government on Monday transferred 35 IAS officers across key departments, including Home, Finance, Power, Health and Industries.
• Finance–Home swap: K.R. Jyothilal moves from Finance to Home and Vigilance, while Minhaj Alam becomes Additional Chief Secretary, Finance.
• New KSEB chief: Prasanth N is the new Chairman and Managing Director of the Kerala State Electricity Board. Outgoing KSEB head M.G. Rajamanickam goes to Local Self Government.
• Health and Power: Mohammed Hanish takes Health and Family Welfare, and Puneet Kumar becomes Additional Chief Secretary, Power.
• Returning officers: M. Beena and Jafar Malik, both back from central deputation, get Industries and State GST respectively.

The Kerala government has reshuffled its senior bureaucracy. On Monday it transferred 35 IAS officers and changed who runs some of the state’s most important departments, including Home, Finance, Power, Health and Industries.

The order covers both senior and junior officers, and several of them have been given additional charges along with their new postings. A reshuffle on this scale changes more than names on office doors. It decides who will handle the state’s finances, law and order, power supply and public health in the months ahead.

The most significant move is a direct swap between Finance and Home. K.R. Jyothilal, Additional Chief Secretary in the Finance Department, has been shifted to the Home and Vigilance departments. He will also hold additional charge of Water Resources, Housing and Coir. Minhaj Alam, who was in charge of Home and Vigilance, has been appointed Additional Chief Secretary, Finance. He will also look after Taxes, Public Procurement Advisory and the Rebuild Kerala Initiative.

Power, health and industry get new leadership

The power sector sees two important changes. Puneet Kumar, who was handling Water Resources, has been posted as Additional Chief Secretary, Power. He will continue as Resident Commissioner at Kerala House in New Delhi. At the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), Prasanth N has been appointed Chairman and Managing Director, and he will keep charge of the Sports and Youth Affairs Department. M.G. Rajamanickam, who was heading the KSEB, has been posted as Secretary, Local Self Government Department.

In health, Mohammed Hanish has been appointed Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare. He will also hold charge of Ayush, General Education, Waqf and Minority Welfare. Sharmila Mary Joseph, who was Principal Secretary, Health, moves to the Transport Department. Subhash T.V. has been placed at the disposal of the Health Department for appointment as Managing Director of the Kerala Medical Services Corporation.

M. Beena, back from central deputation, has been appointed Principal Secretary, Industries. Jafar Malik, also returning from central deputation, becomes Commissioner of the Kerala State Goods and Services Tax Department.

Other appointments include:

• Anupama T.V., Secretary, Local Self Government, shifted to Finance (Expenditure)
• Veena N. Madhavan, Secretary, Agriculture
• P.B. Nooh, Special Secretary, Labour
• Afsana Perween, Managing Director, MILMA, after returning from leave

The order also covers Tourism, Higher Education, Science and Technology, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development, Disaster Management, and Electronics and Information Technology.

What it means for governance

Many of the new postings are in departments that the public deals with directly. Finance, State GST and Expenditure now have new officers at a time when revenue collection and spending control remain under close watch. Changes at KSEB and in the Power department will matter to every electricity consumer in the state. In health, the reshuffle brings new leadership to the department and to the corporation that handles the procurement of medicines and medical supplies.

Several senior officers will also be handling large combined portfolios. How quickly they settle into these roles will decide whether this reshuffle improves the administration’s pace.

With inputs from IANS.