In a major reshuffle, the state government has appointed M
Lakshminarayana as the new commissioner of the Bruhat Bangalore
Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

According to an official press release,
Lakshminarayana, the principal secretary, Department of Housing, will
replace Siddaiah, who retires from service upon superannuation on
Friday.

Siddaiah, who was principal secretary, Department of
Higher Education, was posted as BBMP commissioner when the garbage mess
had gripped the city. The High Court made caustic remarks about the
functioning of BBMP and its failure to address the garbage menace. It
became a tool for the Congress to attack the then ruling BJP for turning
a blind eye to the garbage mess.

Subsequently, bowing to pressure, the government brought back Siddaiah to BBMP as its commissioner.

‘Challenging job ahead’

The
post of BBMP Commissioner is quite challenging, said M Lakshminarayana,
who will assume charge as the urban body’s commissioner on Friday.

He succeeds Siddaiah, whose five-month tenure ends on Friday upon his superannuation.

Lakshminarayana,
from the 1987 IAS batch, has served in various departments including,
Land, Revenue, Rural and Urban Development, Transport, Agriculture and
Co-operation. He was secretary to three Chief Ministers – B S
Yeddyurappa, D V Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar.

Speaking to
Express, he said: “Bangalore is our city. Joint effort is required to
take the city forward. There is a need to motivate public too. The job
of BBMP Commissioner is challenging than other posts,” he said.

About
the new Commissioner, Siddaiah said: “Lakshminarayana is definitely
aware of developments in the BBMP. He has been secretary to the CM for
the past five years and was also principal secretary to Urban
Development Department. In that sense, he is not new to the assignment.
He also has the experience of being the CEO at Belgaum Zilla Panchayat
for four years and was also Shimoga DC. He has immense experience of
working with non-officials right from CM to ministers to ZP members,” he
said.

Other tranfers

T M Vijay Bhaskar has
been transferred as principal secretary, Rural Development and
Panchayat Raj. Dr E V Ramana Reddy, principal secretary, RDPR
Department, has been transferred as principal secretary, Housing
Department. P N Sreenivasachary, who was principal secretary, Urban
Development Department (Municipalities and urban development
authorities), has been given additional charge of Urban Development
Department. Dr Suresh Kunhi Mohammad has been transferred as mission
director, National Rural Health Mission.