Portfolios allocated to new ministers; Omar keeps Finance, Revenue

Two days after the new J-K Government took oath with the National Conference vice-president sworn in as Chief Minister, Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday allocated the portfolios to the new Cabinet.

An order issued by L-G Sinha said, “In pursuance of rule 4 (2) of the Transaction of Business of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Rules, 2019, 1, the Lieutenant Governor assigned the charge of the ministers.”

The order stated that Surinder Kumar Choudhary (Deputy Chief Minister) has been assigned Public Works (R&B), Industries and Commerce, Mining, Labour and Employment and Skill Development.

Sakeena Itoo will head Health and Medical Education, School Education, Higher Education and Social Welfare while Javed Ahmed Rana has been assigned Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment and Tribal Affairs Departments.

Javid Ahmad Dar will head Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election and Satish Sharma will hold the charge of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Transport, Science and Technology, Information Technology, Youth Services and Sports and ARI and Trainings.

The order further said that any other departments/subjects not allocated to any of the ministers will remain with the Chief Minister.

With this order, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has kept key portfolios like Finance, Revenue, Hospitality and Information Department with himself.

Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday with the UT getting its first elected government since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

The National Conference government also inducted Surinder Kumar Choudhary, who defeated J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina from the Nowshera constituency in the Jammu region, as Deputy Chief Minister while Sakina Itoo, Javed Ahmed Rana, Javid Ahmad Dar and Satish Sharma took oath as ministers.