Somesh Kumar, a 1989 batch IAS officer is appointed as fifth Chief Secretary of Telangana in the place of SK Joshi, who retired from the service today. Somesh Kumar, who hails from Bihar, is currently Special Chief Secretary for Revenue, Commercial Taxes and Excise departments. He has three and half years service left and is known for efficiency which are weighing in his favour.
Somesh Kumar, originally allotted to Andhra Pradesh despite his preference for Telangana. He raked up controversy by commenting the cadre allotment of IAS officers following the division of the state to create Telangana was arbitrary. Later he was shifted to Telangana and became confidante of chief minister KCR. He played crucial role in the social survey conducted allegedly to know the concentration of Andhra settlers in Telangana when he was GHMC commissioner.
Chandrababu Naidu, as chief minister of new Andhra Pradesh, was critical of Somesh’s style of functioning. Somesh, as GHMC commissioner had allegedly denied permission for Naidu to construct a house in Jubille Hills. Naidu alleged that he was acting like a party worker of TRS rather than an IAS officer.
The outgoing chief secretary Joshi is tipped to be appointed as the adviser (irrigation) to the government of Telangana.