The Chief secretary of the state enjoys the senior most position held in the civil services of the state and union territories of India. The functions of Chief secretary are as follows:
- Adviser to the CM: Chief- Secretary acts as an advisor to the CM. Being head of the permanent executive branch he strives for a sound administration.
- Secretary to the Cabinet: Chief-Secretary acts as a secretary to the state cabinet. Chief Secretary is the administrative head of the cabinet secretariat and attends the meeting of the cabinet and its sub-committees.
- Head of State Cabinet Secretariat: State Cabinet Secretariat whose functions include Secretarial assistance, implementation of decisions, policy coordination and providing information is headed by Chief-Secretary.
- Head of Civil Services: Chief- Secretary acts as the head of the state civil services. Important cases pertaining to appointments, transfers and promotion of senior state civil servants go to his/her desk.
- Coordinator of Civil Service Efforts: Chief Secretary ensures inter departmental coordination. Chief Secretary advises the secretaries on inter departmental difficulties. He is the chairman of coordination committees which are set up for resolving inter-departmental disputes.
- Residual Legatee: The chief secretary also acts as the residual legatee, that is, he looks after all those matters which do not fall within the purview of other secretaries.