Himachal Pradesh: CM Sukhu distributes portfolios; allots PWD to Vikramaditya

The Chief Minister kept the charges of Finance, Home, Planning, Personnel, and all other departments not allotted to any other Minister, with himself.

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh):Himachal Pradesh's newly elected Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday allotted portfolios to the ministers, including giving the charge of the public works, youth and sports departments to former Chief Minister's son Vikramaditya Singh. Vikramaditya Singh is the son of the former chief minister of Himachal Pradesh Late Virbhadra Singh. His mother is Pratibha Singh, a Member of Parliament from Mandi, Lok Sabha Constituency.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar distributed the portfolios on the advice of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. The Chief Minister kept the charges of Finance, Home, Planning, Personnel, and all other departments not allotted to any other Minister, with himself, while Jal Shakti Vibhag, Transport Language Arts and Culture were given to Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri. Dhani Ram Shandil from Solan constituency was given the charge of the health and family welfare, social justice and empowerment and labour and employment departments.

Shandil was made the social justice and empowerment minister of the hill state. Chander Kumar MLA from Jawali Constituency, Kangra, was given the agriculture and animal husbandry departments, while Harshwardhan Chauhan from Sirmaur has been given the industries, parliamentary affairs and Ayush portfolios. Jagat Singh Negi from the tribal Kinnaur district has been given the departments of revenue, horticulture and tribal development, and Rohit Thakur from Shimla district has got the higher, elementary, technical education and vocational and industrial training portfolios.

After what was a close, see-saw battle for the Himalayan state, the Congress, on December 8, won the Assembly polls, bagging a total of 40 seats to the BJP's 25. However, the difference between the two parties in terms of vote share was less than 1 per cent. (ANI)