Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has effected a late night reshuffle of his cabinet, downgrading many ministers and promoting others.
At least 12 portfolios have changed hands, and prominent among them are Balram Yadav, who has been divested of the charge of Panchayati Raj and appointed Minister for Prisons. Samajwadi Party spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary was made Minister for Political Pensions. He was earlier Minister for Prisons.
The state government also reduced multiple portfolios of many ministers. Ram Govind Chaudhary was divested of the his child development and nutrition portfolios and made in charge of just basic education.
Brahma Shankar Tripathi, who was till now Minister for Home Guards, Prantiya Raksha Dal and Vocational Education, handed over the ministeries of vocational education and skill development to the chief minister.
Manoj Kumar Pandey, who was in charge of agriculture (except agriculture external trade, agriculture export and agriculture marketing), agriculture education, agriculture research and religious affairs, Pandey's entire portfolio has been merged by Akhilesh with his own list of responsibilities. Pandey has now been assigned the science and technology ministry, which was earlier held by state minister Abhishek Mishra.
Narad Rai was made of Minister of Khadi and Gram Udyog, while sports and youth affairs was taken away from him.
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Akhilesh Yadav will be in charge of sports and youth affairs and be assisted by state minister Farid Mahfooz Kidwai.
Kailash, who was till now in charge of Khadi and Gram Udyog, was made Minister for Panchayati Raj.
Secondary Education Minister Iqbal Mahmood was shifted to fisheries and public enterprises, while Mahboob Ali was made Minister for Secondary Education.
Among the state ministers, Vijay Kumar Mishra was downgraded to Minister for Religious Affairs.