Barely a day after the excise, planning and coordination minister A U Singdeo tendered his resignation in wake of alleged spurious liquor killings that claimed 33 lives with 70 others ailing, Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik on Friday effected a minor reshuffle in the state cabinet.
Minister of state for housing and urban development Sarada Nayak was given additional charge of excise portfolio while the planning and coordination department went to Usha Devi, minister for textile and handloom. Similarly, food supplies and consumer affairs minister Niranjan Pujari was given additional portfolio of science and technology, earlier held by Usha.
However, Pattnaik has kept the agriculture portfolio with him, which came to him after Pradeep Maharathy, who held the portfolio earlier, put in his papers on January 19 over the alleged Pipili gang rape case.
