Panaji: In his second term as the chief minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant has retained key Home and Finance portfolios while distributing ministries to his eight colleagues in the state cabinet. Rohan Khaunte is entrusted with the plum Tourism, Information and Technology and Printing and Stationary departments. A notification allotting portfolios to the eight MLAs of BJP, who took oath on Mach 28 along with Sawant, was issued on Sunday.
Sawant has retained the Home, Finance, Personnel, Vigilance and Official Languages departments. Vishwajit Rane, who had unsuccessfully lobbied for the CM's post, has been given crucial Health and Town and Country Planning Portfolios along with Urban Development, Women and Child, and Forest departments. Panaji MLA Atanasio Monserrate, who defeated former chief minister the late Manohar Parrikar's son Utpal from the Panaji seat, has been allotted Revenue, Labour and Waste Management portfolios.
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Senior legislator Mauvin Godinho has been allotted Transport, Industries, Panchayat and Protocol ministries while Ravi Naik has been given the Agriculture, Handicrafts, and Civil Supplies portfolios, as per the notification. The crucial Public Works Department (PWD) portfolio has been allotted to Nilesh Cabral. He will also handle the departments of Legislative Affairs, Environment, and Law and Judiciary.
Subhash Shirodkar has been allotted Water Resources, Cooperation and Provedoria (Institute Of Public Assistance) portfolios. Govind Gaude will handle Sports, Art and Culture and RDA ministries. Rane, Godinho, Cabral and Gaude were part of the Sawant-led cabinet from 2019-22, while Khaunte was a minister in the Parrikar-headed government and was dropped from the cabinet in 2019. The chief minister can induct three more ministers into the state cabinet.
Goa BJP chief Sadanand Shet Tanavade had last week said that a decision on three cabinet berths lying vacant will be taken "within a month or two". In the recently concluded elections in Goa, the BJP won 20 seats, one short of the majority in the 40-member House. Three independent MLAs and two legislators of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) have extended their support to the BJP.
PTI
