 "Fadnavis allocates portfolios, BJP retains key departments")
The Shiv Sena, which had failed to get the post of deputy chief minister and key portfolios, were given industries, transport, environment and public health. Sena veteran Subhash Desai, who was inducted in Friday’s cabinet expansion, will be the new minister of industries, which was held by BJP minister Prakash Mehta since he took the oath on October 31. Mehta will be now looking after housing.
Fadnavis has kept home, urban development, public works, ports, tourism, information and public works and general administration ministries.
Desai, who used to attack the erstwhile Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government for loss of Maharashtra's pre-eminence, will have to implement state government's 'Make In Maharashtra' mission by rolling out red carpet for industrialists and investors. He will have to do away with red tapism to make the state an attractive investment destination, too. Besides, Desai's mandate will be to simplify procedures, reduce number of approvals and licences required for industrial development.
Fadnavis has allotted energy and renewable energy to Chandrashekhar Bawankule of the BJP who is a close confidant of Union minister Nitin Gadkari and elected from Kamti seat which houses power generation plants of the state-run MahaGenco. The BJP has already promised to make Maharashtra load shedding-free and Bawankule will have to deliver the poll promise.
Sena veteran Diwakar Raote will be new minister for transport, while another leader Ramdas Kadam got environment. Raote will have to streamline the functioning of the regional transport offices, while Kadam will have to reduce time taken in getting environment clearances for the investors.
Sena legislator Deepak Sawant has got public health and welfare. He has been involved in organising supply of medicines and health facilities especially to those people residing in remote and tribal areas.
Moreover, Girish Mahajan of BJP will be the new water resources minister. The ministry has been in the news due to the multi-crore irrigation scam reported during the Congress-NCP government. Mahajan told Business Standard: “A probe as promised during the poll campaign will be conducted into the irrigation scam. Besides, a white paper will be issued on the present irrigation status in the state.” However, Mahajan faces huge challenge to mobilise a whopping Rs 85,000 crore required to complete incomplete irrigation projects across the state and thereby reduce the regional imbalance.
BJP minister Girish Bapat, who comes from the Kasba Peth seat in Pune, has been made new minister for legislative affairs, food and civil supplies and food and drugs administration. Bapat will have to implement the food security scheme, which the government has promised to revise, in the state. Bapat has received awards for being the best parliamentarian.
Sena legislator from Thane Eknath Shinde, who resigned as leader of opposition in the Assembly to take oath on Friday, has been given public works (public undertakings). He will head the state-run Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation involved in the construction of bridges, flyovers, though he will have to mobilise funds for the same.
Sena minister of state Deepak Kesarkar, who left NCP and got elected on a Sena ticket, has got finance and rural development, while another Sena minister of state Sanjay Rathod got revenue. Sena minister of state Dada Bhuse has been allotted cooperation. BJP leader Chandrakant Patil, who played a major role to revive BJP's alliance with the Sena, is the cabinet minister for cooperation.
Fadnavis has kept home, urban development, public works, ports, tourism, information and public works and general administration ministries.
Desai, who used to attack the erstwhile Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government for loss of Maharashtra's pre-eminence, will have to implement state government's 'Make In Maharashtra' mission by rolling out red carpet for industrialists and investors. He will have to do away with red tapism to make the state an attractive investment destination, too. Besides, Desai's mandate will be to simplify procedures, reduce number of approvals and licences required for industrial development.
Fadnavis has allotted energy and renewable energy to Chandrashekhar Bawankule of the BJP who is a close confidant of Union minister Nitin Gadkari and elected from Kamti seat which houses power generation plants of the state-run MahaGenco. The BJP has already promised to make Maharashtra load shedding-free and Bawankule will have to deliver the poll promise.
Sena veteran Diwakar Raote will be new minister for transport, while another leader Ramdas Kadam got environment. Raote will have to streamline the functioning of the regional transport offices, while Kadam will have to reduce time taken in getting environment clearances for the investors.
Sena legislator Deepak Sawant has got public health and welfare. He has been involved in organising supply of medicines and health facilities especially to those people residing in remote and tribal areas.
Moreover, Girish Mahajan of BJP will be the new water resources minister. The ministry has been in the news due to the multi-crore irrigation scam reported during the Congress-NCP government. Mahajan told Business Standard: “A probe as promised during the poll campaign will be conducted into the irrigation scam. Besides, a white paper will be issued on the present irrigation status in the state.” However, Mahajan faces huge challenge to mobilise a whopping Rs 85,000 crore required to complete incomplete irrigation projects across the state and thereby reduce the regional imbalance.
BJP minister Girish Bapat, who comes from the Kasba Peth seat in Pune, has been made new minister for legislative affairs, food and civil supplies and food and drugs administration. Bapat will have to implement the food security scheme, which the government has promised to revise, in the state. Bapat has received awards for being the best parliamentarian.
Sena legislator from Thane Eknath Shinde, who resigned as leader of opposition in the Assembly to take oath on Friday, has been given public works (public undertakings). He will head the state-run Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation involved in the construction of bridges, flyovers, though he will have to mobilise funds for the same.
Sena minister of state Deepak Kesarkar, who left NCP and got elected on a Sena ticket, has got finance and rural development, while another Sena minister of state Sanjay Rathod got revenue. Sena minister of state Dada Bhuse has been allotted cooperation. BJP leader Chandrakant Patil, who played a major role to revive BJP's alliance with the Sena, is the cabinet minister for cooperation.