R K Singh new finance secretary

Thiruvananthapuram: The government has appointed Rajesh Kumar Singh, an officer from 1989 batch, as the principal secretary (finance). He replaces Manoj Joshi, who is leaving the state on central deputation.

Singh, who had recently come back from the Centre, has been serving as principal secretary (public works department). He will continue to hold the charge of principal secretary of animal husbandry and dairy development department as well.

As he moves to finance, Ishitha Roy, who also recently came back to the cadre after her central deputation, will hold the charge of public works department. The cabinet also gave additional charge of secretary of food and public distribution and civil supplies to P Venugopal. He is currently holding the charge of information and public relations department. The cabinet also appointed Haritha V Kumar, who is back after leave, as deputy secretary in the general administration department.

The government also promoted two IPS officers from 1995 batch to the rank of additional director general of police. While Suresh Rajpurohit has been conferred pro-forma promotion as he is currently on central deputation as IG in the special protection group, M R Ajith Kumar has been posted as ADGP (armed police battalion). He was serving as city police commissioner in Thiruvananthapuram. TNN