Karnataka Government Reassigns Two IAS Officers in Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle; Salma K. Fahim and Kanaga Valli M. Get Strategic Secretary-Level Postings
Tags: Karnataka IAS Transfer, Salma K Fahim IAS, Kanaga Valli IAS, Karnataka Bureaucratic Reshuffle, Karnataka Government Posting, Labour Department Karnataka, Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department, Food and Civil Supplies Karnataka, KSMSCL MD Appointment, Indian Administrative Service News
In a notable administrative restructuring aimed at strengthening governance mechanisms, the Karnataka government has announced the transfer and redeployment of two senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, assigning them to high-impact secretary-level roles across key departments. The changes have been notified through an official government order released on Tuesday, January 7, 2026, and have come into effect immediately.
Salma K. Fahim Appointed Secretary, Labour Department; Given Additional Tribal Welfare Charge
Salma K. Fahim (IAS:2006: Karnataka cadre), who was earlier awaiting posting, has been formally appointed as Secretary to the Government, Labour Department, Bengaluru. She will hold the post until further instructions. With this appointment, she relieves Mohammad Mohsin (IAS), who had been managing the department under an additional charge arrangement.
Alongside her new role in the Labour Department, Fahim has also been entrusted with the concurrent responsibility of Secretary, Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department, Bengaluru. This additional charge follows the transfer of Kanaga Valli M. (IAS) from the Tribal Welfare portfolio.
Her dual responsibility places her at the center of labour administration and tribal development programs, reinforcing the state’s emphasis on employment reform, worker welfare, and inclusive development.
Kanaga Valli M. Posted as Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs; Named KSMSCL Managing Director
Kanaga Valli M. (IAS:2010: Karnataka cadre) has been transferred from her earlier assignment in the Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department and has now been appointed as Secretary to the Government, Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Department, Bengaluru.
She succeeds Dr. Prasad N.V. (IAS), who had been holding the post on a concurrent basis.
In addition to her departmental charge, Kanaga Valli M. has also been given concurrent charge as Managing Director of Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (KSMSCL), Bengaluru, with immediate effect and until further orders. Her appointment is expected to strengthen procurement efficiency, supply chain governance, and medical logistics management in the state.
Administrative Significance of the Reshuffle
The latest transfers reflect the Karnataka government’s strategic approach to deploying experienced IAS officers to departments that directly impact employment, public distribution systems, tribal welfare, healthcare logistics, and consumer protection.
By assigning Fahim to Labour and Tribal Welfare, and placing Kanaga Valli M. at the helm of Food and Civil Supplies as well as KSMSCL, the government aims to enhance operational efficiency, improve service delivery, and maintain continuity in critical public welfare initiatives.
The reshuffle underlines Karnataka’s administrative focus on placing capable leadership in pivotal departments to reinforce governance quality and policy execution across the state.
