Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today inducted four new ministers into the state cabinet while also effecting a minor reshuffle of the portfolios of existing ministers in the run up to the monsoon session of the state legislature beginning on July 27.
The new entrants include Darmarao Bhagwantrao Atram of the Gondwana People's Party (tribal development), independent MLA Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh (mines, sports and youth welfare and special assistance), Ramdas Maniram Bodke of the Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh (employment guarantee scheme) and independent MLA Digambarrao Murlidhar Bagal (social justice).
Minister for housing, slum improvement, house repairs and reconstruction Nawab Malik who belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has been given the additional portfolio of protocol that was held by his party colleague Jaidatta Sonajirao Kshirsagar who retains industries and parliamentary affairs with additional charge of urban development.
Vijaykumar Krishnarao Gavit of the NCP continues to hold general administration and prohibition propaganda portfolios while being in additional charge of information and public relations. Social justice has been taken away from him, while his party colleague Subhash Pandharinath Thakre retains his transport portfolio while ports has been taken away from him.
Rajendra Bhaskarrao Shingane retains school education and marketing while information has been taken away from him. Congress minister for textiles Prakash Kallappa Awade has lost two portfolios of tribal development and special assistance, while his party colleague Manikrao Govindrao Thakre lost employment guarantee scheme but retains home (rural) and parliamentary affairs portfolios.
