Odisha Chief Minister allocates portfolios, keeps home, finance with himself

Odisha Chief Minister allocates portfolios, keeps home, finance with himself

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday allocated portfolios to his council of ministers.

According to an order issued by the governor's office, Majhi kept home, finance and several other departments to himself, while allocating agriculture and farmers' empowerment and energy departments to Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo.

The other Deputy Chief Minister, Pravati Parida, has been allotted women and child development, Mission Shakti and tourism departments, the order mentioned.

Four-time MLA and tribal leader Mohan Charan Majhi was sworn in as the state's first BJP Chief Minister on June 12.

The other departments that are also held by the chief minister are general administration and public grievances, information and public relations, water resources and planning and convergence.

Suresh Pujari, a senior BJP leader, was given the responsibility of Revenue and Disaster Management, while Rabi Narayan Naik got Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water department portfolios.

Mukesh Mahaling was allocated the health and family welfare, parliamentary affairs, electronics and Information Technology (IT) departments.

Tribal leader Nityananda Gond got school and mass education, ST and SC development, minorities and backward classes welfare, social security and empowerment of persons with disabilities departments.

While Krushna Chandra Patra was given food supplies and consumer welfare, science and technology departments, Prithiviraj Harichandan was allocated portfolios like law, works and excise.

Bibhuti Bhusan Jena got commerce and transport departments along with steel and mines, while Dr Krushna Chandra Mahapatra was given housing and urban development and public enterprise departments.

From among the ministers of state (Independent Charge), Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia was allotted forest, environment and climate change, labour and employees state insurance.

Suryabanshi Suraj was made the minister for higher education, sports and youth service, Odia language literature and culture departments.

Pradeep Bal Samanta was made co-operation, handloom and textile and handicraft minister, while Gokulananda Mallik was given the charge of fisheries and animal resources development and MSME.

Sampad Chanran Swain was allocated departments like industries, skill development and technical education.

The BJP stormed to power in Odisha by securing 78 seats in the 147-member assembly, while the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD got 51 seats, Congress (14), CPI(M) won one seat and Independents got three.