In an overnight bureaucratic reshuffle in Telangana, several administrative officers were transferred to various departments. This includes senior health official transfers as well.
Amid a rising number of COVID-19 cases in the state, Special Chief Secretary (Health) A Santi Kumari and Public Health and Family Welfare Commissioner Yogita Rana were replaced.
Syed Ali Murtaza Rizvi will be the new Health Secretary and V Karuna will be the Commissioner of Public Health, according to an official note released by Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Santi Kumari has been transferred to the Forest Department. Yogita Rana has been transferred to the post of Commissioner, Scheduled Castes Development (SCD).
As per media reports, the transfer of two senior health officials gained significance in the backdrop of criticism that the state government is facing on its management of COVID-19 cases in the state.
In total, the government has transferred 15 administrative officers, working in various departments.
Other changes in various departments include Dr Jyothi Budda Prakash, who, after a long training session, has been posted as Additional Chief Electoral Officer as per orders of the Election Commission of India.
Another major change in administration is the transfer of senior bureaucrat Adhar Sinha who has been posted as Director General, Environment Protection Training and Research Institute (EPTRI), relieving Rajat Kumar from full additional charge of the post.
While KS Sreenivasa Raju has been posted as Tourism Secretary, relieving M Raghunandan Rao, who was holding full additional charge, E Sridhar had been posted as Special Secretary to the government in the Tribal Welfare department.
Meanwhile, Sridevasena, Collector of Adilabad, was also transferred and posted as Director of School Education duly, relieving Chitra Ramachandran.