Jagan-led Andhra Pradesh government on Friday announced the appointment of 1985 batch IAS officer Sameer Sharma as the state’s next Chief Secretary. With the incumbent Chief Secretary Adityanath Das retiring from his duties from the 30th of this month, CMO’s hunt for the new CS ended at Sameer Sharma.
Sameer Sharma is now the Special Chief Secretary, Planning and Resource Mobilisation and also the Vice-Chairman of Institute of Leadership, Excellence, and Governance. He returned to the state cadre from Central deputation in July this year, after having served as the Director-General of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs.
The appointment raised many brows in the state political circles as Sameer Sharma is also expected to retire in two months, at the end of November. Reports have it that the state government would likely to seek the centre for extension of his tenure further.
Sharma received awards from the President of India and the Prime Minister for his path-breaking initiatives in the promotion of community organizations in slums and reforms in governance under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.