Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inducts 31 new ministers, retains Home
Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, August 16
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today expanded his week-long old cabinet inducting 31 new members from his new allies, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress and others.
After severing tie with the BJP-led NDA on August 9, Nitish Kumar formed the government on August 10 with the support of RJD-led Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance). Besides Kumar, RJD Chief Lalu Yadav’s younger son and leader of Mahagathbandhan Tejashwi Yadav also took on August 10 as Deputy Chief Minister.
The 31 members Bihar cabinet led by Nitish Kumar swung into action within hours of swearing in ceremony of the new ministers.
Nitish retained home portfolio and allocated finance to his party colleague, Vijay Kumar Chaudhury.
Before having its first cabinet meeting,newly appointed ministers were allotted their departments and they joined their assignments instantly
Deputy chief minister,Tejashwi Prasad Yadav who got health,road construction and urban development departments directed the officials of health ministry to ensure medicines were made available to all patients in government hospitals.
His elder brother,Tejpratap who is forest and environment minister took over at Aranya Bhawan and in his first meeting with officers stressed for increasing forest cover.
Professor Chandra Shekhar Singh of RJD who is the new education minister iñ his first interaction with officers suggested secularism should be promoted in the educational institutions.He had defeated Nikhil Mandal of JDU in 2020 assembly elections,Nikhil is grandson of former chief minister,BPMandal of Mandal Commission fame.
While two sons of RJD president,Lalu Prasad are in Nitish cabinet,Sudhakar Singh,son of state RJD president,Jagdanand Singh has been made Agriculture Minister.
The new cabinet has 17 members from extremely backward and other backward castes,eight from Yadav caste,five Muslims,five from upper castes,including one Brahmin.
Departments with heavy annual budget provisions have been shared by RJD.
Two ministers from Congress quota have been asked to look after panchayati raj and minorities welfare departments.
Chairman of JDU parliamentary board ,Upendra Kushwaha who was denied a berth did not attend the oath taking ceremony.
Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee President, Madan Mohan Jha, who was apparently annoyed with the high command decision to appoint only two representatives ,also abstained at Raj Bhawan .
