In a first, TN govt appoints senior bureaucrats as official spokespersons

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Monday said it appointed four senior bureaucrats as its official spokespersons to disseminate information on government schemes and initiatives to the members of the public through the media.

This is the first time the state government has drafted the services of senior IAS officials.

The move would not only ensure the dissemination of information on time but also strengthen public communication. The officials would provide information on key departments and also coordinate among the government departments to provide verified information.

J Radhakrishnan, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Dheeraj Kumar, and P Amudha, all serving as additional chief secretaries, have been appointed as the official spokespersons, a release here said.

Radhakrishnan will provide information on energy, health, welfare of non-resident Tamils, school and higher education, handlooms, handicrafts, Textiles & Khadi, and Human Resources Management departments.

Bedi will give information pertaining to the municipal administration and water supply, rural development and Panchayat Raj, animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries, agriculture, water resources, environment, climate change and forests, MSME, industries, investment promotion & commerce, besides natural resources departments.

Dheeraj Kumar will provide information related to home, prohibition and excise departments while Amudha will disclose to the media information concerning the departments of revenue and disaster management, social welfare and women's empowerment, welfare of differently abled persons, labour welfare and skill development, Adi Dravidar and Tribal welfare, BC, MBC and Minorities welfare, housing and urban development, highways and minor ports, tourism, culture, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, and special programme implementation departments, the release said.