Aaditya gets tourism, Ajit Pawar finance in Maha cabinet expansion

Worli MLA Aaditya on Sunday (January 5) expressed happiness over getting the portfolio of state Tourism and Environment minister and assured that he will take substantial steps to boost the tourism sector in order to strengthen Maharashtra’s economy.

“I have been given the portfolios of Tourism and Environment. We can strengthen the economy of Maharashtra with tourism,” he said while speaking to media in Maharashtra.

“I will take charge of the office after tomorrow’s meeting,” he added.

The Maharashtra government which was formed after days of deliberations between Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena had its cabinet expansion earlier this week.

On November 28, Uddhav Thackeray took oath as Chief Minister bringing an end to weeks of political instability in the state’s politics after Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress stitched a post-poll coalition as Maha Vikas Aghadi. Along with the Chief Minister six other ministers – two each from NCP, Congress, and Shiv Sena took the oath of office.

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Sunday (January 5) gave his nod to the list of 42 ministers of the new government, as proposed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has approved the allocation of portfolios as proposed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

— Governor of Maharashtra (@maha_governor) January 5, 2020

The portfolio allocation was decided late on Saturday (January 4) evening by Thackeray, five days after the cabinet expansion of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi coalition government.

While Chief Minister Thackeray will manage the departments of general administration, information and technology, information and public relations and law and judiciary among other departments, deputy chief minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar will handle the finance and planning departments.

NCP’s Anil Deshmukh has been made the state’s home minister.

Party leader Sanjay Rathod has been assigned with the Forest portfolio while Uday Samant will look after Higher and Technical Education.

Dada Bhuse is assigned Agriculture, Sandeepan Bhumre Employment Guarantee, Gulabrao Patil – Water supply and Shankarrao Gadakh will be looking after the irrigation department.

Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat has got the revenue ministry. With this allocation of portfolios, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP has got most of the plum ministries.

The departments of industry and mining and Marathi language have been allocated to Subhash Desai. The urban development department has been allocated to Eknath Shinde.

NCP leader Nawab Malik has been allocated the minority development and Aukaf and skill development and entrepreneurship departments. The departments of food, civil supplies, and consumer protection have been allocated to Chhagan Bhujbal.

Shiv Sena’s Abdul Sattar has been appointed as the minister of state (MoS) of revenue, rural development, port land development, and special assistance. Jayant Patil will be in charge of water resources and command area development department. Ashok Chavan has been allocated the department of public works (excluding public undertakings).

Congress is getting the least number of berths and ministries as it is the smallest party in the alliance in terms of the number of MLAs. The party won 44 of the state’s 288 seats, against Shiv Sena’s 56 and NCP’s 54 seats.

The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government, comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress, had been facing criticism from the opposition BJP for the delay in the allocation of portfolios despite being in power for over a month now.

Chief Minister Thackeray and six of his council members — two each from the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress — took oath on November 28. Thackeray expanded his month-old ministry on December 30 by inducting 36 ministers.

(With inputs from agencies)