Amid high-voltage election campaigning in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday announced that the expansion of his cabinet will take place on June 9.
Speaking to the media in Karbi Anglong after attending an election rally in Dhansiri, Chief Minister Sarma said, “A new minister from hilly districts will be inducted into the cabinet. The swearing-in ceremony will be held on June 9 at 11 am.
“It will be a minor expansion of the cabinet,” Sarma said without disclosing the names of the ministers.
The three hill districts, Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao, have five MLAs including Bidya Singh Engleng (Diphu), Roopsingh Terang (Boithlangso), Darsingh Ronghang (Haoraghat), Dr Nomal Momin (Bokajan), who is also the deputy speaker. Assam Legislative Assembly and Nandita Garlosa (Haflong).
The Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government took charge on May 10 last year with 14 of its cabinet members and is still at liberty to expand to four more ministers. The ministry included 11 members from the BJP, two from ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and one from ally UPPL.
According to Article 164 (1A), the total number of ministers in a state cannot exceed 15 per cent of the total number of members of the Legislative Assembly. Assam, which has 126 members in its assembly, can have a maximum of 18 ministers, including the chief minister, by law.
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has kept the Home, Personnel, PWD and departments which were not allotted to any other minister. In Sarma’s cabinet, Ajanta Niog has been given the charge of Social Welfare Department and Finance Department and she is also the lone woman member.
Ranjit Kumar Das holds the portfolios of Panchayat and Rural Development, Public Health Engineering, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs. Atul Bora, chairman of the AGP, holds the portfolios of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and veterinary, border area development, implementation of the Assam Accord and cooperatives. The working president of AGP is Keshav Mahanta Health and Family Welfare, Science and technology more information technology Minister
Another senior MLA, Chandra Mohan Patwari, is the minister for transport, industries and commerce, skill development and welfare of minorities. Parimal Shuklabaidya, senior BJP MLA from Barak Valley, holds the Environment and Forest, Fisheries and Excise portfolios in Dr Sarma’s cabinet.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ranuj Pegu is the Minister of Education, Welfare of Saada Tribes and Backward Classes- Non-BTC, Ashok Singhal holds the Guwahati Development, Urban Development and Irrigation Departments. From the Ahom tribe, Jogen Mohan holds the portfolios of Revenue and Disaster Management, Hill Area Development, Mines and Minerals. Sanjay Kishan, leader of the tea tribes, works for the welfare of the tea tribes, labor and employment departments. Piyush Hazarika holds the Water Resources, Information and Public Relations and Parliamentary Affairs Department.
Bimar Bora’s minister from Upper Assam is Play and Youth Welfare, Cultural Affairs, Electricity and Tourism, and UPPL MLA Urkhao Gavra Brahma holds the portfolios of Handlooms and Textiles, Soil Conservation, Plain Tribes and Backward Classes Welfare.
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