Major bureaucratic shakeup in TN

In the first major bureaucratic reshuffle after Chief Minister O Panneerselvam took over the reins from AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa two months ago, Tamil Nadu Government today transferred several senior IAS officers, including the Chief Secretary.
State power utility Chairman K Gnanadesikan has been appointed Chief Secretary, replacing Mohan Verghese Chunkath who has been posted as Director, Anna Institute of Management and Director General of Training, an official release said.
This is the first largescale shakeup after the change of guard in the wake of Jayalalithaa's conviction and subsequent disqualification as MLA after a Bengaluru special court sentenced her to four year prison term in the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate assets case.

The reshuffle also comes days ahead of the short-duration state Assembly session beginning on December 4, the first after Panneerselvam assumed charge.
Besides serving as the Chief Secretary, Gnanadesikan would also hold full additional charge of the post of Vigilance Commissioner and Commissioner for Administrative Reforms.
Public Works Department Principal Secretary M Sai Kumar has been appointed as Chairman and Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board and TANGEDCO replacing Gnanadesikan.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Principal Secretary N S Palaniappan will be the new PWD Principal Secretary.
Revenue Department Principal Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi has been appointed in place of N S Palaniappan while Town and Country Planning Department Commissioner R Venkatesan has been posted as Principal Secretary of Revenue Department.

Youth Welfare and Sports Development Secretary, Mohammed Nasimuddin has been posted as Secretary, Co-operation, Food and Consumer Protection Department, replacing M P Nirmala.
Commissioner of Government Data Centre Dharmendra Pratap Yadav has been posted as Housing and Urban Development, Secretary replacing Mohan Pyare who has been appointed as Principal Secretary, Youth Welfare and Sports Development department.
Anna Institute of Management and Director General of Training V Irai Anbu has been posted as Economics and Statistics Department Commissioner while Pudukottai District former Collector C Manoharan has been posted as Director, Agricultural Marketing and Agri-business.
Niranjan Mardi is the new Principal Secretary/Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tamil Nadu Maritime Board filling the vacancy caused by the retirement of Ramesh Kumar Khanna.

The services of Cooperation, Food and Consumer Protection Principal Secretary M P Nirmala has been placed at the disposal of Tamil Nadu Small Industries Corporation for appointment as its Chairperson and Managing Director, it said.
Panneerselvam, sworn in on September 29, had been Chief Minister during a similar situation for five months between 2001 and 2002 when Jayalalithaa was disqualified.