Thiruvananthapuram: There are many corrupt officials working in the agriculture department, but some are seeking greener pastures in other departments. S. K. Suresh, who was assistant private secretary during the tenure of former agriculture minister Mullakara Ratnakaran, was sacked for collecting funds for transfers and postings. He has now been made the chief executive officer of Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council.
Suresh has also been given additional charge as managing director of Kerala Agro-Industries Corporation Ltd. He had also served previously as principal agriculture officer. N. K. Manoj, former managing director of Kerala Agro-Industries Corporation Ltd, had left the department citing that it was difficult to continue working there. He has taken over as managing director of Handicrafts Development Corporation of Kerala Ltd, which falls under the industries department.
“Manoj is an efficient official who had proved his mettle. In fact, he was sidelined by the previous agriculture minister K. P. Mohanan for not paying funds to his kitty when he was serving as the managing director of Kerala Agro-Machinery Corporation Ltd,” a senior government official told DC. He added that Mohanan had asked him to go on leave and though he tried to bring in another tainted official K. Subair Khan, who was the then managing director of Kerala State Warehousing Corporation Ltd, the union representatives objected to it.
CPI sources told DC that Suresh has been recommended by the official wing of the party led by Kanam Rajendran though Agriculture Minister Sunil Kumar owes allegiance to the K. E. Ismail faction in the party. “Due to the internal party issues, the chairmen in close to 12 PSUs that come under the agriculture and animal husbandry departments are yet to be appointed,” said a party source.
