Thiruvananthapuram: Senior IAS officer Sarada Muraleedharan will be the next Chief Secretary of Kerala, replacing incumbent V Venu. A Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, took a decision in this regard on Wednesday. 

A 1990 batch IAS officer, Muraleedharan is currently serving as the Additional Chief Secretary (Planning). She is the wife of outgoing Chief Secretary V Venu. 
The appointment will be after Venu steps down on August 31, a CMO statement said here.

Other Cabinet decisions:

Rs 2 -Cr cash prize for Sreejesh

In the Cabinet meeting, it was also decided to allocate Rs 2 crore as a prize to PR Sreejesh, a member of the Indian hockey team that won a bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

In connection with Onam 2024, it was decided to distribute free Onam kits, containing 13 items of essential items, to AAY card holders and residents of welfare institutions in the state. An amount of Rs 34.29 crore has been sanctioned to Supplyco in advance for that purpose. The kit is distributed through ration shops. A total of 5,99,000 kits will be distributed.

Additional posts in Government and Aided schools
According to the recruitment of government and aided schools in the state for the academic year 2023-2024, a total of 957 additional posts will be allocated in 513 schools in the government sector and 1,368 additional ones in 699 aided schools.

A total of 2,325 teaching and non-teaching posts will be allotted in 1,212 schools effective from October 1, 2023. There will be a financial burden of Rs 8,47,74,200 per month. 

Assistant Engineer Post in PWD
Public Works Department (Electronics Section) will create a post of Assistant Engineer in the pay scale of Rs 55,200-1,15,300 to supervise the works of the High Court from PWD Ernakulam Section Office.

Tender for Karakulam flyover 
The tender will be sanctioned by relaxing the existing norms for the construction of Karakulam flyover connecting Vazhayila - Pazhakutty - Kacherinada - Eleventh Mile in Thiruvananthapuram district.

Rs 9 cr allotted for families to be rehabilitated in Suri Mankulam

Rs 9,16,52,406 has been approved for 112 buildings of the families living near the canal of the Suri Mankulam village panchayat, who will have to be rehabilitated for the development of the West Coast Canal.

Jalanidhi to be included

Jalinidhi will also be included in the purview of the order allowing the District Collector to relax the rules to grant land use permission to the Water Authority for its Jal Jeevan Mission projects.