PATNA: After six days of swearing-in of a new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday distributed portfolios between two deputy CMs and six other ministers.
Nitish retained home department since he became the chief minister of the state in 2005. He became successful in retaining the home department despite tremendous pressure from BJP to hand over the department to in the portfolio allocation, sources added.
Senior BJP leaders and deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Singh have been given nine departments each. While Samrat will hold portfolios of major departments including finance, health and industries, Sinha has also been allocated major departments like road construction, agriculture and Revenue and Land Reforms.
Health Department was earlier held by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who was deputy chief minister in the previous regime.
Nitish will also hold portfolios of general administration, cabinet secretariat, vigilance and all other departments not allocated to anybody.
Senior JD (U) leader and a close aide of Nitish Vijay Kumar Choudhary will hold the charge of major departments like education, water resources, parliamentary affairs and building construction.
Similarly, another senior leader Bijendra Prasad Yadav has been made new energy minister.
Senior BJP leader Dr Prem Kumar has been given portfolios of cooperative, disaster management and others.
Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Santosh Kumar Suman has been given information technology, and the SC/ST welfare departments, while the lone independent Sumit Kumar Singh has retained science, technology & technical education.
A notification of the portfolio allocation has been issued by the cabinet coordination department. There are only eight ministers apart from the CM presently as the number of ministers could go up to 36.
After the cabinet expansion, the portfolios will be redistributed. The budget session was getting delayed due to non-allocation of portfolios to the ministers. At present there are only eight ministers in Nitish Kumar cabinet.
“The cabinet expansion will also take place soon,” a senior JD(U) leader said.
Bihar cabinet
Dy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Singh been given nine departments each
Nitish’s close aid Vijay Kumar Choudhary to hold education, water resources, parliamentary affairs and building construction depts
Senior leader Bijendra Prasad Yadav made new energy minister
Senior BJP leader Dr Prem Kumar gets cooperative, disaster management