Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi
– Photo: ANI (File)
Expansion
The division of departments took place in the BJP government of Odisha on Saturday. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi kept Home, Finance and many other departments with himself. Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo has been given the charge of Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment and Energy departments. The other Deputy Chief Minister Prabhati Parida has been given the Women and Child Development, Mission Shakti and Tourism departments. Parida is the only woman in the 16-member cabinet.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has also kept the General Administration and Public Grievances, Information and Public Relations, Water Resources and Planning and Convergence departments with himself. Senior BJP leader Suresh Pujari has been given the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, while farmer leader Rabi Narayan Naik has been given the responsibility of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department. Mukesh Mahaling has been given the Health and Family Welfare, Parliamentary Affairs, Electronics and Information Technology departments.
Tribal leader Nityanand Gond has been given the departments of School and Mass Education, ST and SC Development, Minority and Backward Class Welfare, Social Security and Disabled Empowerment. Krishna Chandra Patra has been given the departments of Food Supply and Consumer Welfare, Science and Technology, while Prithviraj Harichandan has been given the responsibility of Law, Construction and Excise Department. Bibhuti Bhushan Jena has been given the departments of Steel and Mines as well as Commerce and Transport, while Dr. Krishna Chandra Mahapatra has been given the departments of Housing and Urban Development and Public Enterprises.
These ministers of state have been given independent charge
Among the ministers of state (independent charge), Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia has been given the departments of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Labour and Employees State Insurance, while young engineer Suryavanshi Suraj has been given the departments of Higher Education, Sports and Youth Services, Odia Language Literature and Culture. Pradeep Bal Samanta has been made the Minister of Cooperation, Handloom, Textiles and Handicrafts while Gokulanand Malik has been given charge of Fisheries and Animal Resource Development and MSME. Sampad Chandran Swain has been allotted departments like Industry, Skill Development and Technical Education.