After a month of the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, the portfolio distribution has been finalized. The same has been approved by the honorable governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Sunday morning.
On Saturday the Shiv Sena supremo and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had sent the proposal of Maharashtra cabinet portfolios to the governor.
NCP senior leader and deputy chief minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar got finance and planning department on the other hand, his party colleague Anil Deshmukh is the new Home Minister of the state.
First-time Shiv Sena MLA Aaditya, the son of Uddhav Thackeray who has always been vocal about the environment subject whether it’s about the much controversial Aarey colony topic or any other topic has been made the minister for tourism, environment and protocol ministries.
Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat has been allocated the revenue portfolio while former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has been given the Public Works Department (PWD).Yashomati Thakur has been allotted women and child development department, Varsha Gaikwad has been allocated school education department. Vijay Wadettiwar has been given the charge OBC welfare and salt land development. Amit Deshmukh got medical, education and culture. The CM would handle Law and Order apart from the General Administration.
The Sharad Pawar led party NCP has got maximum of the state’s cabinet berths. The party got the home, finance, irrigation and housing ministries. It’s been said that Pawar who had brought the three ideologically different party together to form Maha Vikas Agadhi has got most of the plum ministries in the Maharashtra cabinet. If one sees keenly in terms in the number of cabinet ministers there also the NCP is superior to other coalition party. While it has 16 cabinet ministers, the Shiv Sena has been allotted 15 ministries and the Congress party 12.
NCP MLA and state minister of Maharashtra Aditi Tatkare said,“I have been given the portfolios which are really important in terms of development. I belong to the constituency which has large number of tourists visiting the district and the constituency. In terms of tourism,I would want to develop the Konkan region more so that once the basic infrastructure is developed, more tourists will arrive.”
At the same time Aditi has been given an opportunity to work for the industrial growth. She said, “I would like to contribute as much as I can into this issue which we have been dealing for a long time now. Set up in the region and the state, so we can increase the rate of employment.”
Aditi has also been allotted the sports portfolio. There are many young people who are good in sports and belong to rural area of the state; through this opportunity Aditi wants to make the platform for them so that they get the opportunity to come in the forefront in terms of their respective sports they belong to.
She said, “I would want to take this opportunity to work for the betterment of the youth. I would like to conduct as many as seminars as possible in terms of their career guidance and other activities.”
NCP leader Jayant Patil has been allocated the irrigation department while Dhananjay Munde has been handed the social justice portfolio. Chhagan Bhujbal will handle the food and civil supplies ministry and Dilip Walse Patil will handle the excise portfolio. Nawab Malik was allotted minority development, Waqf Board, skill development and entrepreneurship. Malik said that he will work for the welfare of minorities. He also plans to address the problem of unemployment. Jayant Patil got water resources. Rajesh Tope has been allotted public health and family welfare, Hasan Mushrif rural development, Balasaheb Patil cooperation and marketing. Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde has been given the urban development ministry. Senior Shiv Sena leader Subash Desai has got industries and departments, while party leader Anil Parab got transport and parliamentary affairs department.Dadaji Bhuse has got agriculture and ex-servicemen welfare departments, Sanjay Rathod forest, relief and rehabilitation and Uday Samant higher and technical education.
Shiv Sena leader and state minister Aaditya Thackeray said, “I have been given the portfolios of Tourism and Environment. We can strengthen the economy of Maharashtra with tourism and I will take charge of the office after Monday’s meeting.”
The Uddhav Thackeray led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government had been receiving flak from the opposition BJP for delay in allocating portfolios despite being in power for over a month. According to sources the delay in finalisation and announcement of portfolios was mainly due to the difficulty of assigning districts to individual ministers for special care. Moreover, the Congress party had failed to provide the list of its ministers. Also the leaders of the MVA were attending the winter session of state assembly in Nagpur.
Minister for textile, fisheries and port development Aslam Shaikh said, “The Koli community is facing severe hardships due to decline in fishing activities. Big trawlers have been installed in several areas which are affecting the fish catching work. We are preparing a project report to augment fishing activities. I am pleased with the portfolio which was allotted to me and will also take steps to revive the textile industry.”
