Former Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar appointed as Chief Advisor to CM KCR

The Chief Minister had issued orders in this regard, making Somesh Kumar his chief advisor, in the rank of a Cabinet Minister for a period of three years

Hyderabad: Former Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar was appointed as Chief Advisor to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao here on Teusday, with orders being issued making him the chief advisor in the rank of a cabinet minister for a period of three years.

Somesh Kumar, appointed by Chandrashekhar Rao as Chief Secretary of the State in December 2019. He served for three years in the capacity before stepping down in January this year, and as directed by the Telangana High Court, moved to Andhra Pradesh. He opted for voluntary retirement from service in February 2023.

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The 1989 batch bureaucrat was the fifth and longest-serving Chief Secretary in Telangana and is known for spearheading several flagship initiatives of the Chandrashekhar Rao-government. After bifurcation of the State, he was posted to Andhra Pradesh by the Department of Personnel Training (DOPT), but as directed by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) he continued with the Government of Telangana.

The CAT order allotting him to Telangana was challenged by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in the High Court which had asked the Government of Telangana to relieve him enabling him to join the government of Andhra Pradesh.

In recognition of the services extended by him for the development of the State, Chief Minister Chandrashekhar Rao inducted him in his core team as chief advisor.

Before his appointment as the Chief Secretary, Somesh Kumar had served as Special Chief Secretary, Revenue (Commercial Tax, Excise, Stamps & Registration), Mines, Principal Secretary, Tribal Welfare, Commissioner, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Chairperson, Telangana Real Estate Regulation Authority and Commissioner, Tribal Welfare.

Before division of the State he also served as the Commissioner, College Education, Managing Director, AP Urban Finance Corporation, Collector and District Magistrate, Anantapur, joint Collector of Medak district and sub collector of Bodhan.