The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday distributed portfolios to the new ministers in the cabinet led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The Lieutenant Governor issued an order for allocation of departments here on the advice of the Chief Minister. According to this order, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Chaudhary will take charge of Public Works (R&B), Industry and Commerce, Mining, Labor and Employment and Skill Development.
The only woman minister, Sakina Masood (ITU), has been given the charge of important ministries like health and medical education, school education, higher education and social welfare. She was the social welfare minister during Abdullah’s first term as chief minister of the erstwhile state. Javed Ahmed Rana has been allotted the portfolios of Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment and Tribal Affairs. Javed Ahmed Dar will be the Minister of Agricultural Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Cooperation and Elections.
Satish Sharma has been given the charge of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Transport, Science and Technology, Information Technology, Youth Services and Sports and Administrative Reforms, Inspection, Training and Grievances Department (ARI) and Training. The order states that other departments/subjects not allocated to any minister will remain with the Chief Minister.
Let us tell you that assembly elections have been held in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time since 2014. On August 5, 2019, under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, the state was divided into two parts and made a Union Territory.
In this election, BJP won 27 seats. The alliance of Congress and National Conference got majority by winning a total of 48 seats. However, no Congress MLA has been included in the cabinet yet.
