T’puram: The state govt on Tuesday reconstituted the Kerala State Planning Board, bringing back former Union cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar as its vice-chairman. The board, chaired by chief minister V D Satheesan, also includes five ministers as members.Chandrasekhar, a former cabinet secretary during the UPA govt, had earlier served as the vice-chairman of the state planning board during the Oommen Chandy-led govt’s tenure. More recently, he headed the expert committee constituted by the current UDF govt to prepare the white paper on Kerala’s finances.The reconstituted board comprises industries and information technology minister P K Kunhalikutty, power, environment and parliamentary affairs minister Sunny Joseph, water resources and housing minister Mons Joseph, Forests, wildlife and skills minister Shibu Baby John, and transport minister C P John as members.John is also returning to the planning board in a different capacity, having earlier served as one of its members before entering the state cabinet.The planning board is the state’s principal advisory body for formulating development plans based on an assessment of available resources and growth priorities. The CM serves as its chairperson, and the board’s tenure is coterminous with that of the elected govt.
