The Kerala government ordered the reshuffle of 17 IAS officers in the state on Saturday, July 23. Two new ex-cadre posts have been created for a period of one year — District Development Commissioner, Malappuram and Director of Programme Implementation, Evaluation and Monitoring Department — which Devidas N (who served as the Commissioner of Housing) and Anupam Mishra (District Development Commissioner, Kozhikode) will take up respectively.
Meanwhile, Thiruvananthapuram District Collector Navjot Khosa has been transferred to the post of Joint Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department, and she will also hold the additional charge of the post of Managing Director, Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited. The Thiruvananthapuram Collector post will be taken over by Geromic George, who was the Joint Commissioner of Land Revenue.
Apart from this, District Collector of Ernakulam Jafar Malik, is transferred and posted as Director of the Information and Public Relations Department and will hold additional charge of Director of Mining and Geology Department. Renu Raj, who was Alappuzha District Collector, is now the Ernakulam collector; and Dr Sriram Venkitaraman, currently the Joint Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, is posted as Collector of Alappuzha. In 2020, Venkitaraman was embroiled in controversy after he was accused of hitting journalist KM Basheer with his car, resulting in his death. While the IAS officer was arrested, opposition leaders had alleged that he used his influence to reduce his punishment.
Managing Director of the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Limited MG Rajamanickam is now posted as Commissioner of Rural Development Department. In addition to this, he will also hold the additional charge of the post of Principal Director, Local Self Government Department. S Harikishore, serving as the Director of Industries and Commerce Department will now be holding additional charge of Managing Director, Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Limited.
Scheduled Castes Development Department Director VRK Teja Mylavarapu will also be holding additional charge as Managing Director of Kerala State Backward Classes Development Corporation.
Thiruvananthapuram District Development Commissioner Dr Vinay Goyal has been posted as Commissioner of Housing, and will have additional charges as the Secretary of Kerala State Housing Board and as the Director of Backward Classes Development Department. He will also continue to hold the existing additional charge of the post of Managing Director, Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation Limited (KRTL).
Arun K Vijayan, who is the Director of Urban Affairs will now also hold the full additional charge of the post of Chief Executive Officer, Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Limited. Arjun Pandian, who is the District Development Commissioner, Idukki has been transferred as Joint Commissioner of Land Revenue, and will hold the additional charge of the post of Secretary, Land Board.
Prem Krishnan S, Director of the Sports and Youth Affairs Department will hold additional charge of the post of Director, Kerala Youth Leadership Academy.
Three sub collectors have also been transferred: Sub Collector of Thiruvananthapuram Madhavikutty MS will hold the additional charge of the post of District Development Commissioner, Thiruvananthapuram; Kozhikode Sub Collector Chelsasini V will hold the full additional charge of the post of District Development Commissioner, Kozhikode; and Rahul Krishna Sharma, Sub Collector of Devikulam will hold the additional charges of the posts of District Development Commissioner of Idukki and Special Officer of Idukki Package.
Watch: This week on Let Me Explain, why Kerala is a hotbed for infectious diseases