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Jyothilal gets Kerala's home department as Minhaj Alam takes over finance
A sweeping reshuffle of senior IAS officers moves key Kerala posts, including home, finance, health and local self-government, with several transfers tied to friction with ministers.
The Kerala government has reshuffled a large group of senior IAS officers, reshaping leadership across home, finance, health, industries, power and local self-government (LSGD). The changes touch several of the state's most important departments at once.
K R Jyothilal moves into the role of additional chief secretary (home). Minhaj Alam, who had been running the home department, shifts to additional chief secretary (finance). Jyothilal will also oversee water resources, housing and coir, while Alam takes on taxes, public procurement advisory, the Rebuild Kerala Initiative and the chairmanship of the Kerala Financial Corporation.
Health sees a notable change. APM Mohammed Hanish becomes additional chief secretary (health) and will also handle general education, Ayush, waqf revenue and minority welfare. Sharmila Mary Joseph, whose relationship with the health minister had reportedly become strained, moves to transport as principal secretary and will also look after the women and child development department. Sajith Babu, who had clashed with the education minister, has been moved out of that department.
Several other postings reshape the energy and local government landscape. M G Rajamanickam leaves KSEB to become LSGD secretary and keeps the devaswom portfolio. Puneet Kumar, the resident commissioner of Kerala House in Delhi, becomes additional chief secretary (power) while retaining his Delhi role. Anupama TV, who had differences with a minister, moves from LSGD to finance (expenditure) and adds environment as an additional charge.
The reshuffle also reaches the public-facing agencies. Subhash TV takes over as KMSCL managing director and adds food safety commissioner to his duties, while Afsana Perween returns from leave to head Milma and holds the NORKA Roots CEO post. Devidas N becomes director of employment and training, and Anu Kumari moves into the tourism directorate.
Why it matters: the transfers put officers with proven expertise into the departments that touch daily life most, from tax collection and food safety to water, housing and employment. Because several moves followed reported disagreements with ministers, the shake-up also signals how the government wants its bureaucracy to work alongside political leadership. For the full list of postings, see the original report at Times of India.
