CHENNAI: In the first bureaucratic reshuffle under the newly formed government, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Sunday moved swiftly to put in place his core administrative team, appointing senior IAS officers P Senthilkumar and G Laxmi Priya as Secretaries to the Chief Minister.
The orders, issued by Chief Secretary M Saikumar within hours of the swearing-in of the new dispensation, marked the first major administrative exercise of the Vijay government and offered an early glimpse into the structure of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
Dr P Senthilkumar, who was serving as Additional Chief Secretary in the Health and Family Welfare Department, has been transferred and posted as Additional Chief Secretary and Secretary-I to the Chief Minister. A seasoned officer with prior experience in the CMO, Senthilkumar had earlier served in a similar role during the tenure of former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.
G Laxmi Priya, Secretary to Government in the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, has been appointed Secretary-II to the Chief Minister. She is married to senior IAS officer Arun Roy, currently serving as Industries Secretary.