Telangana Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju awaits official residence even after a month

Telangana Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju has not been allotted an official residence even a month after taking charge, as the designated quarters in Kundanbagh are in the possession of Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy. The delay highlights administrative lapses, with Andhra Pradesh still retaining several government residences in Hyderabad more than a decade after bifurcation.

Hyderabad: A month after assuming charge as Telangana Chief Secretary, Sanjay Jaju is yet to be allotted an official residence, highlighting the administrative delays within the government.

Sanjay Jaju, who returned from central deputation, took charge as Chief Secretary on June 30. Senior IAS officers posted in Hyderabad are usually allotted official residential quarters, mostly in the Kundanbagh government housing complex at Begumpet.

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However, a Cabinet Minister has been learnt to be occupying the residence designated for the Chief Secretary. As a result, Sanjay Jaju has been staying at the Dilkusha Guest House.

The bungalow at Dilkusha Guest House is in a dilapidated condition. In addition, its premises have become a parking area for several government vehicles. The delay in providing official accommodation even a month after he assumed office has drawn criticism.

The designated official residence for the Chief Secretary is located in Kundanbagh, Begumpet. Rajiv Sharma, the first Chief Secretary after the formation of Telangana, stayed there. His successors, SP Singh and S.K. Joshi, also occupied the same residence.

Somesh Kumar, who later became Chief Secretary, chose to stay at his private residence in Attapur for personal reasons instead of moving into the official quarters.

Similarly, Santhi Kumari used her residence at Prashasan Nagar on Jubilee Hills Road No. 70 as her official residence. Former Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao stayed at the Dr. Marri Channa Reddy Human Resource Development Institute.

As the official residence remained vacant for several years because three successive Chief Secretaries did not occupy it, Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy requested that it be allotted to him. The government subsequently issued orders allocating the residence to the Minister.

The allotment came despite the availability of an official housing complex for Ministers at Banjara Hills. With the Minister occupying the Chief Secretary’s residence, there is currently no official accommodation available for Sanjay Jaju.

Of the 84 government residences in the Kundanbagh housing complex, 44 were allotted to Andhra Pradesh during the State bifurcation. Even though more than a decade has passed since Telangana was formed and Hyderabad is no longer the joint capital, All India Service officers from Andhra Pradesh continue to occupy these residences.

At present, 10 of the 44 residences are vacant. However, the Andhra Pradesh government has not handed them over to Telangana.