Thiruvananthapuram: In the latest reshuffle of IAS officers, the LDF government has reinstated Additional Chief Secretary KR Jyothilal as in charge of the General Administration Department (GAD).
He was removed from the charge of the GAD after Governor Arif Mohammed Khan expressed displeasure over his functioning.
Meanwhile, Principal Secretary to the Sports and Youth Affairs, M Sivasankar, who is facing a probe from Central agencies in the politically-sensitive Thiruvananthapuram Airport gold smuggling case, has been given the additional charge of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development.
Additional Chief Secretary (Local Administration) Sarada Muraleedharan was given the additional charge of the IT Department. The outgoing IT Secretary Bishwanath Sinha was given the charge of the Planning and Economic Affairs Department. He will also handle the post of Member Secretary, Planning Board.
The new Principal Secretary of the Fisheries Department is KS Sreenivas. Tinku Biswal will be the new Principal Secretary in the Food and Civil Supplies Department.
Ajith Kumar will be the new PWD Secretary while Priyanka will be the Director of the Woman and Child Welfare Department.
Governor gives thumbs up
When asked about the return of Jyothilal, Governor Khan said "it is perfectly fine".
"There is no problem. The purpose is not to harass somebody, but to take notice of the fact that all should remain within their boundaries," said the governor with a smile.
Pinarayi's trusted man returns
Now that the state government has settled almost all outstanding issues with the governor, it has brought back its trusted IAS officer Jyothilal in the key post of the GAD Secretary.
The Governor had turned against Jyothilal after the latter, as the GAD Secretary, wrote a letter to him saying that the government was approving the appointment of Hari S Kartha to the personal staff of the Governor under protest. This letter intensified the fight between the government and the governor.
By listing out various grievances, including this one, the governor briefly refused to sign the policy declaration statement to be tabled in the Assembly.
The Chief Minister, after holding discussions with the CPM leadership, then appointed Sarada Muraleedharan as the GAD Secretary in the place of Jyothilal to placate the governor.
Pinarayi later called up the governor and informed him of this decision, ending the crisis. The CM also told the governor that the government was ready to discuss issues raised by him such as the pension enjoyed by the ex-personal staff of ministers.
