AMN / MUMBAI
The long-awaited portfolio allocation of the 43-member Cabinet led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was finally announced today. Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari gave his formal nod to the list sent by the Chief Minister last evening.
As per the new Government’s portfolio allocated to the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Mr Thackeray has only kept the General Administration Department, which is traditionally overseen by the CM, for himself.
Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar will head the Finance and Planning Department. NCP’s Anil Deshmukh is the new Home Minister of the state. Besides, first-time Shiv Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray, who is the son of Chief Minister Thackeray, has been given charge of the Environment, Tourism and Protocol Departments.
Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat has got the Revenue Ministry. The Urban Development Department, considered a key portfolio along with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, will be run by Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde. Former Chief Minister Congress Ashok Chavan got the Public Works Department.
The NCP has not just got the most number of ministerial posts that is 16 but has also retained the most crucial of the departments for its ministers such as urban development department, agriculture and industries.
The Congress party has got 10 ministerial posts and two crucial departments like revenue and PWD.
The Shiv Sena, besides the CM, has 14 ministerial posts.
The NCP besides important portfolios like Home, has also got Rural Development Department to be looked after by Hasan Mushriff, Co-operation to be handled by Balasaheb Patil, Water Resources given to Jayant Patil and Social Justice to Dhananjay Munde. NCP’s Jitendra Awhad will head Housing, while Rajesh Tope will handle the Health Department.
The Shiv Sena, besides Urban Development, MSRDC, Tourism and Environment, has kept Industries Department for Subhash Desai, Agriculture for Dada Bhuse, Transport and Parliamentary Affairs for Anil Parab, Forests Sanjay with Rathod and Water Supply and Sanitation for Gulabrao Patil.
The Congress, apart from Revenue and PWD, has got the energy portfolio to be led by Nitin Raut; School Education Department given to Varsha Gaikwad; Women and Child Welfare Department will be looked after by Yashomati Thakur; Medical Education Department is given to Amit Deshmukh; Tribal Development Department will be headed by K C Padvi; Dairy Development and Animal Husbandry Ministry charge given to Sunil Kedar, besides two other cabinet portfolios.
Among the ten ministers of state or junior ministers, Congress’s Satej Patil got Home (cities) and Vishwajeet Kadam has got Co-operation and Agriculture Departments.
