After IAS rejig, UDF govt eyes boards & corporations to remove heads appointed during LDF tenure

The UDF government has begun steps to change heads of various corporations and boards who were appointed during the tenure of the previous LDF government. The Department of Planning and Economic Affairs has issued an order directing the officials to remove the chairman/vice-chairman/members of various boards and corporations in a legal manner and initiate a new recruitment process.

The department heads have also been directed that the seniormost officer shall hold charge of the Secretary/CEO posts remaining vacant in boards and corporations. The order was issued based on a cabinet decision taken on June 4. During the cabinet formation, Chief Minister V D Satheesan has admitted that some of the deserving MLAs missed out, and it was disappointing.

The Congress will be keen on arriving at an understanding with the allies and some of the MLAs who couldn't make it to the cabinet, while reserving posts in boards and corporations. The Congress leadership has been facing demand from various quarters to speed up appointments in boards under different departments of the government.

The UDF cabinet has already effected major administrative reshuffle. Around 50 IAS officers were transferred and posted across different departments on Tuesday. Besides, senior bureaucrats N Prashanth and B Ashok, who had been placed under suspension by the previous LDF government, were reinstated and were given plum posts in the latest rejig.

Prashanth has been posted as Special Secretary, Sports Department with full additional charge of Special Secretary, Youth Affairs, Zoos, Museum, Archaeology and Archives Departments. Ashok has been posted as Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department.

Recently, P A Razaq Maulavi resigned as the Chairman of Kerala Forest Development Corporation. Film Director K Madhu has also quit as the Chairperson of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation.