Top IAS officers reshuffled in Tamil Nadu, Karthik is new Home Secretary
The Tamil Nadu government has announced a series of senior bureaucratic transfers, including changes in the Home Department, the power sector and district administration.
Senior IAS officer A Karthik has been appointed Home Secretary, replacing K Manivasan. Manivasan will move to the post of Commissioner of Land Administration, which was previously held by Rajesh Lakhoni. Before his latest appointment, Karthik was serving as chairman and managing director of the Tamil Nadu Small Industries Development Corporation (TANSIDCO).
Lakhoni is returning to the leadership of Tamil Nadu’s power-sector organisations. He will take over as chairman and managing director of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL), Chennai, and will also head the Tamil Nadu Power Generation Corporation, Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation and Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation.
The reshuffle comes amid public criticism over recent power outages across the state, which have also drawn attacks from Opposition parties.
Lakhoni previously held senior responsibilities in the state’s electricity sector from May 2021 until October 2024, including leadership roles at TNEB Limited, TANGEDCO and TANTRANSCO. He later held additional charge of the power generation and green energy corporations.
V Arun Roy, who was heading the electricity organisations, has been transferred to the Finance Department as Secretary for Expenditure. He replaces N Venkatesh, who has been appointed Secretary to the Agriculture Department.
Venkatesh succeeds N Subbaiyan. The appointment addresses concerns raised recently over the absence of a full-time Agriculture Secretary following the transfer of P Shankar.
The government has also changed the leadership of Theni district. V Sivakrishnamurthy, Joint Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, has been appointed Collector of Theni. He replaces R Vaithinathan, who will take over Sivakrishnamurthy’s former position at the water supply board.
The appointments bring changes across several important administrative portfolios, with the return of an experienced officer to the power sector drawing particular attention amid continuing concerns about electricity supply.