Anandiben keeps several portfolios with herself, outdoes Modi

Gandhinagar, May 22: After taking over as the first woman Chief Minister of Gujarat,

today allotted the portfolios, keeping several departments with herself. She took away the finance ministry from Nitin Patel, and gave it to Saurabh Patel.

The Chief Minister, while retaining the portfolios which she handled in Narendra Modi government - Revenue, Urban Development and Housing Construction - also took over the Industries, General Administration, Home, Administrative Reforms and Training, Climate Change, Narmada, Kalpsar, Disaster Management, Ports and Information and Broadcasting and the other unallotted departments.

Patel's mentor and PM-designate Narendra Modi handled ten portfolios when he was the Chief Minister, while she would be handling more than thirteen.

Portfolios were today alloted to seven cabinet-rank ministers and 14 ministers of state after Anandiben was sworn in as the Chief Minister following Modi's exit. Nitin Patel, relieved of Finance, was given Health, Medical Education, Family Welfare, Roads and Buildings, Capital Project and Transport.

Anandiben will be handling 13 portfolios

Saurabh Patel kept his earlier portfolios of Energy, Petrochemicals, Mines and Minerals, Planning, Tourism, Civil Aviation, Labour and Employment, Cottage Industries, Salt Industries, Printing and Stationery.

Raman Vora retained Social Justice and Empowerment (including Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC)). Bhupendrasinh Chudasma, another senior minister, was given the charge of Education (Primary, Secondary and Adult), Higher and Technical Education, Food and Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Science and Technology.

Forest and Environment, Tribal Welfare, Law and Parliamentary Affairs went to Ganpat Vasava. Babu Bokhiria was given Water Resources (except Kalpsar project), Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Cow protection.

PTI