TV Somanathan, a 1987 batch IAS officer, who is serving as finance secretary, has been appointed as Cabinet Secretary for a tenure of two years. He will replace Rajiv Gauba, a 1982 batch IAS officer who had an unprecedented five year term as Cabinet Secretary.
The term of Gauba is coming to an end n this month. Somanathan will serve as an officer on special duty in the cabinet secretariat from the date he joins the assignment till he takes over as the cabinet secretary,
Gauba, who was appointed as the cabinet secretary in 2019 for a term of two years, was given a year-extension for three consecutive times – 2021, 2022 and then in 2023.
Gauba is considered close to prime minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah. He is said to be the architect of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, under which the erstwhile state of J&K was bifurcated into two UTs following the abrogation of Article 370.
There are chances that Gauba be appointed Governor of any state or Lt Governor of any Union Territory.
Who is TV Somanathan?
A 1987 batch IAS officer, Somanathan has held various positions in the Tamil Nadu government. He holds a Ph. D. in Economics from Calcutta University.
Prior to his appointment as finance secretary, Somanathan served as finance expenditure secretary from 2019 to 2021. He had replaced Girish Chandra Murmu, who was appointed the first lieutenant governor of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
He was also a joint secretary at Prime Minister's Office (PMO) between 2015 and 2017 and later served as additional secretary at the PMO. Somanathan also served for a brief stint as joint secretary at the ministry of corporate affairs. He was also deputed as director, corporate affairs at the World Bank in Washington DC.In his parent cadre of Tamil Nadu, Somanathan served as managing director of Chennai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd from 2007 to 2010. He also served as joint secretary at the Chief Minister's office.
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