Thiruvananthapuram sources have stated that the State Cabinet has appointed 1981 batch IAS officer Nalini Netto as the State’s news Chief Secretary. Ms. Netto, would take over from incumbent S.M. Vijayanand, who would vacate office on March 31 on superannuation. As Additional Chief Secretary, she has been holding charge of Home and Vigilance, besides functioning as Secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Additional Chief Secretary V.S. Senthil (Planning) will take over as Secretary to the Chief Minister and Additional Chief Secretary (Public Works) Subrata Biswas will take charge of Home and Vigilance once Ms. Netto assumes office as Chief Secretary.
The Cabinet, which held its
weekly meeting here on Wednesday, also decided to appoint Asha Thomas as
Principal Secretary in charge of Public Works. She would also continue to hold
charge as Managing Director of Kerala Roads and Bridges Corporation. Fisheries Principal
Secretary James Varghese will hold additional charge of Environment and
Principal Secretary (Personnel and Administrative Reforms), Satyajith Rajan
would hold additional charge of General Administration, replacing Additional
Chief Secretary Sheela Thomas, who also retires along with Mr.
Vijayanand.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has lauded outgoing Chief Secretary S.M. Vijayanand and Additional Chief Secretary Sheela Thomas as two officers who had used their official positions for the common good. When addressing a meeting at the Durbar Hall on Wednesday, attended by almost the entire State Cabinet, Mr. Vijayan said the officers had proved with their work that the civil service was not an ivory tower.
