Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Oct 28
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has allocated portfolios to eight ministers in Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s government following a cabinet expansion, according to an official order issued on Wednesday.
The allocation was made under Rule 4(2) of the rules governing the distribution of government business. The expansion on Tuesday brought the Council of Ministers to its maximum permitted strength of nine members, including the chief minister, under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary will oversee Public Works (Roads and Buildings), Industries and Commerce, Labour and Employment, and Skill Development.
Ali Mohammad Sagar has been assigned Revenue, Power Development, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, and Election departments.
Sakeena Masood Itoo will head Health and Medical Education and Social Welfare, while Javed Ahmad Rana will oversee Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Tribal Affairs, and Transport.
Javid Ahmad Dar has been given charge of Agriculture Production, Finance, Mining and Cooperatives. Mir Saifullah will handle Planning, Development and Monitoring, Culture, Youth Services and Sports, and Administrative Reforms, Inspections and Trainings.
Shamim Firdous has been assigned School Education, Higher Education and Jal Shakti. Altaf Ahmad Wani will oversee Forest, Ecology and Environment, along with Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.
Departments not allocated to individual ministers will remain with Abdullah, the order said.
The reshuffle also resulted in the removal of independent legislator Satish Sharma from the cabinet. Sharma had previously handled 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 Abdullah’s chairmanship, discussing proposals intended to promote development across the union territory.
The next cabinet meeting is expected to take place in Jammu after government offices reopen there on November 2, following the annual Darbar Move, under which administrative operations shift between Srinagar and Jammu.
Newly inducted ministers have reportedly been asked to review the functioning of their departments and submit agenda items for consideration at the next meeting.
