Bhubaneswar: The new cabinet of Odisha government took oath Sunday in a glittering ceremony held at the new convention centre of Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar.
As many as 13 MLAs were sworn in as cabinet ministers while eight others took oath as minister of state (MoS) with independent charge. Only one minister of state was sworn in. There were 20 members in the last council of ministers of Naveen.
Seven BJD legislators — Rajendra Dholakia, Aswini Kumar Patra, Rohit Pujari, Srikanta Sahu, Pritiranjan Gharai, Basanti Hembram and Rita Sahu — have been inducted as ministers for the first time in their political history. Similarly, Jagannath Saraka and Ashok Panda got promoted to cabinet rank from MoS.
Patnaik has increased the representation from western Odisha in his council to seven as the ruling BJD is facing challenges from BJP in the region.
In the newly formed Naveen’s team, there are five women ministers. They are: Rita Sahu, Pramila Mallick, Usha Devi, Tukuni Sahu and Basanti Hembram.
Of the 20-member council of ministers, nine leaders were again re-inducted into the new cabinet.
Patnaik has dropped 11 ministers from the new council. The legislators who were dropped from the cabinet are– Bikram Keshari Arukha, Padmanabha Behera, Pratap Jena, Aruna Kumar Sahoo, Sudam Marndi, Susanta Singh, Dibya Shankar Mishra, Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi, Premananda Nayak, Raghunandan Das and Padmini Dian.
Portfolio allocation of Cabinet Ministers
- Prafulla Kumar Mallik: Steel and Mines, Works
- Pratap Keshari Deb: Industries, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Energy
- Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak: Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare, Cooperation
- Pradip Kumar Amat: Forest & Environment, Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water, Information & Public Relations
- Naba Kishore Das: Health & Family Welfare
- Ashok Chandra Panda: Science & Technology, Public Enterprise, Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disability
- Tukuni Sahu: Water Resources, Commerce and Transport
- Rajendra Dholakia: Planning & Convergence
- Jagannath Saraka: ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare, Law
- Niranjan Pujari: Finance
- Ranendra Pratap Swain: Agriculture
- Pramila Mallick: Revenue and Disaster Management
- Usha Devi: Housing & Urban Development
Portfolios of Ministers of State (Independent charge)
- Samir Ranjan Dash: School & Mass Education
- Aswini Kumar Patra: Tourism, Odia Language, Literature &Culture, Excise
- Pritiranjan Ghadai: Rural Development, Skill Development & Technical Education
- Srikanta Sahu: Labour & Employees’ State Insurance
- Tusharkanti Behera: Electronics & Information Technology, Sports & Youth Services
- Rohit Pujari: Higher Education
- Rita Sahu: Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts
- Basanti Hembram: Women & Child Development and Mission Shakti
Minister of State
Tusharkanti Behera: Home
A day before the reshuffle, for the first time in his 22 years of political history, Naveen had asked all ministers to resign from their positions with immediate effect.
After swearing in, cabinet minister Tukuni Sahu said, “I have already served as women and child development minister in Naveen’s council. I will try my best to discharge whatever new responsibility will be given to me. Will work hard to realise the vision of our CM.”
Thanking the Chief Minister for inducting him as a minister, first-timer MoS Rohit Pujari said, “My only motive is to take forward the developmental works undertaken under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik.”
PNN & Agencies
