Shettar retains key departments like Finance, Mines

Bangalore, Jul 15: Karnataka Chief Minister

on Sunday allocated portfolios to his ministers and retained key departments like finance and mines and geology with him. Shettar has allowed the ministers who served in the previous

ministry to retain portfolios held by them.

He was sworn in as Chief Minister on Jul 12 as the head of a 34-member ministry with state party unit chief KS Eshwarappa and R Ashoka being made deputy Chief Ministers.

Eshwarappa has been allocated revenue department excluding Haj & Wakf and Muzarai; rural development and Panchayat Raj including rural development engineering department and rural water supply & sanitation.

Ashoka has been made responsible for transport and home department excluding intelligence wing and prisons.

Shettar is handling intelligence.

Govind M Karjol has been entrusted with minor irrigation from water resources department and R Suresh Kumar with law, justice and human rights; CM Udasi with public works department excluding ports and inland water transport department.

Among other portfolio allocations, Visweswara Hegde Kageri has been entrusted with primary and secondary education from education department excluding mass education and public libraries.

Earlier at Mysore, Shettar dismissed reports that he had gone to Delhi to get approval from the BJP high command for the portfolio allocation, saying he had been there only to express gratitude to the central leaders after assuming office.

PTI