Srinagar, Oct 28: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha assigned portfolios to eight ministers in Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led government, in pursuance of Rule 4(2) of the rules governing the allocation of business, according to an official order.
The order specifies the departments allocated to each minister following the expansion of the Council of Ministers (CoM) on Tuesday, when four legislators were inducted into the government.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary has been assigned Public Works (Roads and Buildings), Industries and Commerce, Labour and Employment, and Skill Development.
Ali Mohammad Sagar has been allocated Revenue, Power Development, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, and Election departments.
Sakeena Masood Itoo will oversee Health and Medical Education and Social Welfare, while Javed Ahmad Rana has been assigned Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Tribal Affairs, and Transport.
Javid Ahmad Dar will oversee Agriculture Production, Finance, Mining and Cooperatives.
Mir Saifullah has been assigned Planning, Development and Monitoring, Culture, Youth Services and Sports, and Administrative Reforms, Inspections and Trainings.
Shamim Firdous will oversee School Education, Higher Education and Jal Shakti, while Altaf Ahmad Wani has been allocated Forest, Ecology and Environment, and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.
Altaf Ahmad Wani has been allocated the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department, along with the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.
Departments not assigned to any minister will remain with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the order said.
The cabinet expansion and reshuffle on Tuesday brought the CoM to its maximum permissible strength of nine, including the chief minister, under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
The reshuffle also saw the removal of independent legislator Satish Sharma from the cabinet.
Sharma had previously held portfolios including Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Transport, Youth Services and Sports, and Administrative Reforms, Inspections and Trainings.
The expanded cabinet held its first meeting on Tuesday under CM Omar’s chairmanship, discussing proposals aimed at promoting development across Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the next cabinet meeting is expected to be held in Jammu after government offices reopen there on November 2 following the biannual Darbar Move.
Newly inducted ministers have reportedly been asked to study the functioning of their departments and submit agenda items for consideration at the next meeting.
