Published Nov 29, 2022 | 7:15 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 29, 2022 | 7:22 PM
KS Jawahar Reddy, the new Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh. (Sourced)
The government of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, 29 November, appointed 1990 batch IAS officer KS Jawahar Reddy as the state’s chief secretary.
He will succeed Dr Sameer Sharma whose post-retirement extension would end on Wednesday, 30 November. Sharma’s service was extended twice.
Though the state witnessed a tight race to the top bureaucratic post, Jawahar Reddy’s appointment was on expected lines.
Other senior officials Poonam Malakondaiah, Rajat Bhargava and Neerabh Kumar Prasad were also in the race. Prasad has already missed several chances to become the chief secretary.
In February, Jawahar Reddy was shifted to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) as the special chief secretary to the chief minister.
Considered to be an efficient officer, Jawahar Reddy handled general administration, home, revenue, environment, medical and health, law and legislature, industry and commerce, and infrastructure and investment departments in the CMO.
He also handled the crucial water resources department. He was in charge of the Covid-19 command control room during the first and second waves of the pandemic.
Though Municipal Administration and Urban Development’s secretary Y Sree Lakshmi’s name, too, was doing the rounds as the next chief secretary. Sources in the CMO said she will have to wait since she has at least five more years of service left.
Her promotion as special chief secretary had led to speculations that she would succeed Sharma.
Interestingly, a 1988 batch IAS officer, Poonam Malakondaiah, who is senior to Jawahar Reddy, has been shifted to the CMO as special chief secretary to the chief minister.
Another senior officer of the 1994 cadre, Praveen Prakash, was shifted to the school education department from the transport department.
The current special chief secretary of the school education department, Budithi Rajasekhar, has been asked to report to the general administration department for further orders.
Pradyumna of the 2004 batch was posted as transport and roads and buildings secretary.
