K Ramakrishna Rao, the IAS officer behind every Telangana budget, is its new chief secretary

The Print

28-04-2025

In fact, CM Revanth chose Rao as the next CS over 1990-batch IAS officer Dr Shashank Goel, who is a batch senior to Rao.
Rao will be superannuating in August-end, but his colleagues say he might get an extension of up to 6 months. The officer shares a good rapport with senior figures in the state government including Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and his Deputy Bhatti Vikramarka.
Hyderabad: K. Ramakrishna Rao, a 1991-batch IAS officer, has been named as the next chief secretary of Telangana, and will take over Wednesday from Santhi Kumari who is retiring from service.
In a large-scale senior bureaucratic reshuffle, the state government Sunday transferred Goel, the Director General of the Marri Chenna Reddy Human Resource Development Institute of Telangana (MCR HRD), and posted him as the Vice-Chairman of the Centre for Good Governance.
'Though senior, Goel was never in the reckoning for the top post, given his low-profile,' a senior IAS officer told ThePrint.
Rao has been heading the finance department since the state was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. He was instrumental in drafting all the budgets, including the interim ones, in these years, presented by the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the incumbent Congress governments.
The officer is presently posted as the Special Chief Secretary in the Finance Department and is involved in the management of the state's finances, while mobilising resources for the Congress regime's flagship schemes.
The order for his elevation was issued Sunday by the General Administration Department.
Given his long stint and vast expertise in the finance department, a separate GAD order said, 'on assumption of charge as Chief Secretary, Rao is placed in full additional charge of the post of Special Chief Secretary, Finance Department, until further orders.'
Speaking to ThePrint, Rao said, 'My priority, as has been the job the last one decade, will be keeping the finances right. However, as the CS, now my special focus will be on maximising the output from our vast human resources in the government sector. I want to create an efficient coordination, seamless network between the many departments, agencies.'
Under his leadership, the Integrated Financial Management & Information System (IFMIS), was introduced and successfully implemented to enhance control and transparency in Telangana's fiscal administration.
Rao has been in Full Additional Charge (FAC) of the planning department and looking after the State Reorganisation Department related to bifurcation issues. He had also handled employee distribution during the 2014 separation process.
He has never been on central deputation.
Also read: Weeks after resharing X post critical of govt, Telangana IAS officer Smita Sabharwal transferred
Major reshuffles
Fondly known as KRK in the IAS circles, Rao hails from present-day Nandyala district in Andhra Pradesh. In the IAS officers' cadre reallotment, he was given the Telangana state.
Son of an Indian Railways employee, Rao's school education was completed in government residential institutions like the prestigious Andhra Pradesh Residential Junior College (APRJC), Nagarjuna Sagar.
A meritorious student, Rao earned his Bachelors in Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur and Masters from IIT, Delhi. He later completed his Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Investments from the Duke University in the US.
In his earlier postings, Rao has served as collector of Adilabad in Telangana and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. He also served as the Director of School Education and Director General of the Centre for Good Governance.
Among other major reshuffles, 1992-batch officer Jayesh Ranjan has now been posted as the CEO of Industry and Investment Cell in the CMO and Smart Proactive Efficient and Effective Delivery (SPEED). He was working as the Special Chief Secretary, ITE&C and Sports Department.
Ranjan is also placed in FAC of tourism and culture as Smita Sabharwal, IAS (2001), got transferred back to Telangana finance commission as its member secretary.
Municipal Administration & Urban Development (MA & UD) Department Principal Secretary Dana Kishore (1996 batch) has been posted with the Labour Employment Department in place of Sanjay Kumar (1995 batch) who has been transferred and posted as the Special Chief Secretary, Industries & Commerce Department, as well as ITE&C and Sports Department held by Jayesh Ranjan.
Municipal Administration Commissioner & Director Dr. T.K. Sreedevi (2004) has been transferred and posted as the Secretary of the Municipal Administration Department (outside Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority).
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ilambarithi K. IAS (2005) has been transferred and posted as the Secretary of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Area & Urban Development Department (HMDA limits).
Health & Family Welfare Director R.V. Karnan (2012-batch) has been transferred and posted as the GHMC Commissioner in place of Ilambarithi K. (IAS 2005 batch).
State Flagship projects Commissioner K. Shashanka of the 2013 batch of IAS officers has been transferred and posted as the Commissioner of the Future City Development Authority (FCDA).
I&PR Department Special Commissioner and 2015 batch officer S. Harish has been transferred and posted as the CMD, Telangana State Power Generation Corporation (TG GENCO), relieving Sandeep Kumar Sultania, IAS (1998) from the FAC of the said post.
Another 10 officers were also transferred and given new postings.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also read:Weeks after resharing X post critical of govt, Telangana IAS officer Smita Sabharwal transferred