On Saturday, the Union Cabinet’s Appointments Committee appointed TV Somanathan, an IAS officer from the 1987 batch, as India’s new Cabinet Secretary. Currently serving as the Finance Secretary, Somanathan will take on his new role starting August 30, with a tenure of two years. Until then, he will act as Officer on Special Duty in the Cabinet Secretariat.
Somanathan has earlier worked as Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (2010-11) and Joint Secretary/Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister from 2015 to 2017. He also was at senior positions in the Tamil Nadu government, including Deputy Secretary (Budget), Joint Vigilance Commissioner, Executive Director of Metrowater, Secretary to the Chief Minister, and Additional Chief Secretary & Commissioner of Commercial Taxes.
As the founding Managing Director of the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), he played a crucial role in securing financial closure and awarding the initial tenders for the Rs. 14,600 crore Chennai Metro Rail Project.
In 1996, Somanathan joined the World Bank in Washington through the Young Professionals Program as a Financial Economist for the East Asia & Pacific Regional Vice Presidency. By 2000, he was one of the youngest Sector Managers at the Bank, leading the Budget Policy Group. His tenure at the World Bank continued as he served as Director from 2011 to 2015.
