The Hindu : Kerala News : P.J. Thomas is Chief Secretary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 19, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala

P.J. Thomas is Chief Secretary

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State government has appointed Additional Chief Secretary (Higher Education) P.J. Thomas as Chief Secretary.

The decision follows pressure from the IAS Officers’ Association and other factors. One of the constituents of the LDF, the Revolutionary Socialist Party, had earlier demanded that the senior- most IAS officer in the State should be appointed Chief Secretary.

Mr. Thomas, who began his career as sub-collector of Fort Kochi, had served as Principal Secretary and Chief Electoral Officer. He also held posts such as that of Taxes Secretary (Board of Revenue), Secretary to Kerala Khadi and Village Industries Board and Managing Director of State Cashew Development Corporation. He has served as Ernakulam Collector and Director of Fisheries.

Born at Thaikattuseery in Alappuzha in 1951, he took his degree in physics and postgraduate degree in economics from the University of Kerala. He had undergone a year’s training in public enterprise in Paris. His areas of interest include general administration and economic policy. Married to Philomina Thomas, he has two sons. He succeeds Lizzie Jacob who had sought voluntary retirement. The IAS Officers’ Association had lodged their protest with the Chief Minister after Additional Secretary K. J. Mathew was given charge of Chief Secretary. Efforts to get one of the senior-most IAS officers on deputation to the Centre for the post did not succeed.

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