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| Photo Credit: Reuters
The Kerala government has given in-principle sanction for the appointment of three economic advisors to K.M. Chandrasekhar, the former Union Cabinet Secretary who was appointed as Vice-Chairman of the State Planning Board in July.
The Finance Department has given its approval for the appointment of D. Narayana, former Director, Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation (GIFT), as Senior Economic Advisor; Kiran Kumar Kakarlapudi, Assistant Professor, GIFT; and M. Parameswaran, Professor, Centre for Development Studies, as economic advisors.
Dr. Narayana was on the three-member panel headed by Mr. Chandrasekhar which drafted the UDF government’s White Paper on the State’s fiscal health. Prof. Kakarlapudi and Prof. Parameswaran had provided the panel with research and analytical support. Their appointments are on a co-terminus basis with the tenure of the Vice-Chairperson, according to the Planning and Economic Affairs Department.
After the UDF government came to power in May 2026, the State Planning Board was reconstituted through a July 20 government order appointing Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and Mr. Chandrasekhar as Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson respectively; and Ministers P.K. Kunhalikutty, Sunny Joseph, Mons Joseph, Shibu Baby John and C.P. John as members.
In recent months, Kerala’s Planning Board had come under the spotlight with the White Paper submitted in the State Assembly in June suggesting that it be rebuilt into a ‘think tank’ for the government. The suggestion also featured in the Revised Budget for the 2026-27 fiscal.
The proposal had, however, drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition LDF, which alleged that the government was aping the BJP government which had replaced the Planning Commission with the NITI Aayog.
Published – August 12, 2026 04:20 pm IST
