In a coup of sorts, KCR convinced the chief of Coal India Limited S Narsing Rao to give up his high-profile post to serve in Telangana Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). While media reports say Mr Rao would be serving as Principal Secretary, it is possible he could serve as an OSD. CIL top position is highly contested for and Mr Rao himself was picked out of dozen top IAS officers 2 years ago. It must have required quite some convincing on KCR’s part for Rao to consider this option.
Hardly a day after he broached the subject of power deficit in Telangana, KCR was knocking the doors of the Governor again with CIL Chief S Narsing Rao in toe, showing he means business about fixing Telangana’s power woes.
KCR conveyed his intention in getting Mr Rao moved back to AP from Delhi. While, its not necessary for a CM designate to involve Governor in matters of bureaucratic choices, in view of President’s rule and the June 2 Appointment day, KCR moved quickly to get things in place to get his government machinery going right from the 1st day.
S. Narsing Rao, brains behind the Adilabad Thermal Plant
Mr. S. Narsing Rao is a native of Medak district. He took over as Chairman, Coal India Limited, the largest coal producing company in the world, on and from 24 April 2012. Prior to the top post in the state owned Maharatna coal mining monolith, Mr. Rao an IAS officer of 1986 batch from Andhra Pradesh Cadre, was Chairman of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), since September 2006.
Mr. Narsing Rao as CMD of SCCL, a joint venture between Government of AP and Central Government, took the company up from a production of 36 Million Tonnes in 2006 to 53 MTs in 2011-12. Mr. Rao had taken SCCL to a higher growth trajectory of 9%-10% from that of 2% to 3%. During his tenure at the helm of SCCL the company experience the first ever strike free year (2007-08). Singareni has witnessed substantial productivity gains during his tenure.
Mr. Rao also has wide international exposure and his expertise includes consultant to the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), Rome, Italy and Chief Technical Adviser, United Nations Office of Project Services, Asia & Pacific regions, Asia & Pacific region. He has extensive international experience in poverty alleviation and rural development in South and South East Asia. He rendered technical advise to the Governments of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Myanmar. He lived and functioned out of Rome (Italy), Yangon (Myanmar) Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Bangkok (Thailand).
KCR seems to want to script similar success stories in Telangana to accomplish his grand vision to overcome deficit in his term as Chief Minister. He asked for 2 more officers from AIS to join the Telangana Government. Gopal Reddy, an 1985 batch IPS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre and now joint secretary in the Union home ministry, along with P Rajashekar Reddy, a central services officer and regional provident fund commissioner are likely to work in KCR’s Chief Minister’s Office.