>Goutham2011 at 06:54, 20 May 2021

2021-05-20T06:54:30Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Government Secretariat Building
| native_name = കേരള സംസ്ഥാന ഭരണ സിരാ കേന്ദ്രം
| former_names = Huzur, Puthen Kacheri
| alternate_names =
| image = Kerala Government Secretariat.jpg
| alt = Secretariat Building, Kerala
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| architectural_style = Roman and Dutch, among others
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| location = [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]], [[India]]
| address =
| client =
| owner = Government of Kerala
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| pushpin_map = India Kerala#India
| coordinates = {{coord|8.4972|76.9495|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| start_date = 1865
| completion_date = 1869
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| architect =Barton
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The '''Kerala Government Secretariat''' ({{lang-ml|Saṁsthāna Sarkkār Sirākēndraṁ}}) is the seat of administration of the [[Government of Kerala]], in [[Thiruvananthapuram]], housing important ministries and bureaucratic offices.<ref>[http://www.keralalawsect.org/sec_office_manual.html ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090101054030/http://www.keralalawsect.org/sec_office_manual.html |date=1 January 2009 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.kerala.gov.in/dept_sec/index.htm ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101005001534/http://www.kerala.gov.in/dept_sec/index.htm |date=5 October 2010 }}</ref> It is the highest echelon of state administrative structure offering locus for the exercise of executive authority by the State Government of Kerala. The secretariat refers to the complex of departments. Its political heads are the ministers while the administrative heads are the Secretaries to the Government. The Government Secretariat is a popular landmark and located in heart of the Thiruvananthapuram City, in Narmada Road. The Secretariat complex was originally constructed as Durbar Hall for Travancore Kingdom.

== History ==

Over 150 years old, the building's foundation stone was laid by His Highness [[Ayilyam Thirunal of Travancore|Ayilyam Thirunal]], the [[Maharaja of Travancore]] in 1865 and was completed in 1869. The original structure was planned to accommodate Travancore Royal Durbar Hall where the King meets his council of ministers on a monthly basis apart from the offices of Peshkars (Secretaries of the State). It was designed and built under Barton, the then chief engineer of [[Travancore]] and incorporates elements of [[Roman architecture|Roman]] and [[Dutch architecture|Dutch]] [[architecture]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tvmonnet.com/html/kerala_government_secretariat.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=4 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090403003023/http://www.tvmonnet.com/html/kerala_government_secretariat.htm |archive-date=3 April 2009 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The construction was supervised by the then [[Dewan]], [[T. Madhava Rao]], whose statue now stands across the road opposite the building.<ref>What the Statues Tell: The Politics of Choosing Symbols in Trivandrum, [[Robin Jeffrey]], Pacific Affairs, Vol. 53, No. 3 (Autumn, 1980), pp. 484-502, p.486</ref>

His Highness [[Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma|Chithira Tirunal]], the last king of Travancore, was crowned king in a ceremony held at the Secretariat. The Secretariat also housed the [[Kerala Legislature|Kerala State Legislative Assembly]] from 1939 before it moved to the [[Niyamasabha Mandiram|new building]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.india9.com/i9show/Kerala-Secretariat-48383.htm |title=Kerala Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram India |publisher=India9.com |date=2005-06-07 |access-date=2013-10-20}}</ref> [[Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon|Lord Willingdon]], the then Viceroy laid the [[foundation stone]] for the new Assembly Building on 12 December 1933 and it was opened on 6 February 1939 by Dewan Sir [[C. P. Ramaswami Iyer]] and the Second Sri Mulam popular Assembly convened in this building that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://keralaassembly.org/history/bicameral.html |title=History of legislative bodies in Kerala- bicameralism |publisher=Keralaassembly.org |access-date=2013-10-20}}</ref>

Known during the princely era as the Huzur or Puthen Kacheri, it was renamed the Government Secretariat in 1949. The Secretariat is the nerve centre of [[Kerala]]'s governance and hence is also the site of [[political protests]] and it often witnesses marches and [[Demonstration (political)|demonstrations]] outside its walls.{{fact|date=October 2018}}

== Structure ==
[[File:Government Secretariat of Kerala 001.jpg|thumb|The central block]]
Kerala Secretariat Complex consists of 3 blocks. The central block is the oldest structure. The Central Block has main door known as Ana Kavadam (Elephant Door), which opens to the grand Durbar Hall. This Durbar hall earlier was used only by Travancore Maharaja and his courtiers with limited public entry. Today the Durbar Hall is converted into State Ceremonies Hall where public meetings and state ceremonies are held.{{fact|date=October 2018}}

There are 20 doors located in either side of the Durbar Hall. The Central block has 2 stories and houses offices of various departments. The Old Assembly Hall is located in ground floor of the Central Block at the right, which is now converted into a public legislative museum, depicting the legislative history of Kerala.<ref>[http://www.kerala.gov.in/intjuly_07/pg07.pdf ]{{dead link|date=October 2013}}</ref> There are plans to introduce Kerala Institute of Parliamentary Affairs to this complex.<ref>[http://www.kerala.gov.in/1year_img/sports.pdf ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091128110823/http://www.kerala.gov.in/1year_img/sports.pdf |date=28 November 2009 }}</ref>

Apart from the central block, two new blocks, North Block and South block, were constructed on either side of the central block. The South block was opened by the then Hon. Chief Minister of Kerala Sri. Pattom A. Thanupillai on 18 August 1961. Later two "Sandwich" blocks were also constructed in between the central and the new blocks. {{fact|date=March 2019}} The North Block, located at North Gate, houses office of the Hon. Chief Minister of Kerala, offices of a few cabinet ministers and cabinet room. The South Sandwich Block and North Sandwich Block houses primarily offices Government secretaries, though a few offices of ministers are located here due to congestion in north block.{{fact|date=October 2018}}

== Departments ==

Kerala Secretariat complex houses offices of various state government department. The business of the State Government is transacted through the following Secretariat Department based on the Kerala Secretariat Rules of Business (KSRB).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kerala-info.newkerala.com/Kerala/Government-Departments.html |title=Government Departments - Kerala Info @ New Kerala .Com |publisher=Kerala-info.newkerala.com |access-date=2013-10-20}}</ref>

* Agriculture Department
* Co-operation Department
* [[Department of Cultural Affairs (Kerala)|Cultural Affairs Department]]
* Election Department
* Finance Department
* Fisheries and Ports Department
* [[Food and Civil Supplies Department]]
* Forests and Wild Life Department
* General Administration Department
* General Education Department
* Health and Family Welfare Department
* Higher Education Department
* Home Department
* Housing Department
* Industries Department
* Information Technology Department
* Irrigation Department
* Labour and Rehabilitation Department
* Law Department
* Local Administration Department
* Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department
* Planning and Economic Affairs Department
* Power Department
* [[Kerala Public Works Department|Public Works Department]]
* Transport Department
* Revenue Department
* Rural Development Department
* Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Department
* Science, Technology and Environment Department
* Social Welfare Department
* Stores Purchase Department
* Taxes Department
* Vigilance Department

== References ==
{{commonscat}}
{{reflist}}

{{Government of Kerala}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Thiruvananthapuram]]
[[Category:Administrative headquarters of state governments in India]]
[[Category:Government buildings in Kerala]]

Kerala Government Secretariat - Revision history

>Goutham2011 at 06:54, 20 May 2021