Thiruvananthapuram | The Kerala government on Tuesday appointed senior bureaucrat V Venu as new Chief Secretary of the state.

A 1990 batch IAS officer, Venu is currently serving as the Home Secretary under the Pinarayi Vijayan dispensation.

A cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister picked him for the top post as the incumbent, V P Joy retires on June 30, a CMO statement here said.

The cabinet also decided to appoint senior IPS officer, Sheikh Darvesh Saheb as the new police chief as the incumbent DGP, Anil Kant superannuates at the end of this month, it said.

A Kerala cadre officer hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Saheb is holding the post of Fire and Rescue chief at present.

During the meeting, the cabinet thanked Joy for his meritorious service as Chief Secretary.

Joy, in turn, also expressed gratitude for the support extended to him by the Chief Minister and the other ministers during his months-long service