J&K govt allocates portfolios to newly inducted ministers in Omar Abdullah-led Cabinet; details here

The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday allocated portfolios to the newly inducted ministers in Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s cabinet. The decision to assign the portfolios was made based on the Chief Minister’s advice, and an official order was issued by the LG.

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According to the order, deputy chief minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary will hold the charge of Public Works (R&B), Industries and Commerce, Mining, Labour and Employment, and Skill Development, PTI reported.

The lone woman minister — Sakeena Masood (Itoo) has been assigned the charge of important ministries of Health and Medical Education, School Education, Higher Education, and Social Welfare.

She was the Social Welfare minister during Abdullah’s first tenure as the CM in the erstwhile state.

Javed Ahmed Rana has been allocated the departments of Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment, and Tribal Affairs.

Javid Ahmad Dar will be the minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Cooperative, and Election.

Satish Sharma has been assigned the charge of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Transport, Science and Technology, Information Technology, Youth Services and Sports and ARI and Trainings.

The order said any other departments/subjects not allocated to any of the ministers, shall remain with the chief minister.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, the first elected government in the union territory since the 2019 abrogation of Article 370.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah Thursday expressed hope that the Centre would soon restore the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

“We have raised the issue of (restoration of) statehood before as well. Today, the Supreme Court has said it will be listed soon. I am hopeful that the Government of India will soon restore the statehood,” Abdullah added.

The government will work on achieving what is in the (NC’s) manifesto, address the problems of the people, take J-K on the path of peace and progress “so that we make this state better”, he said.

“There is huge unemployment and it is important to end that. Traffic has to be managed. Our people who ride scooters, do not wear helmets, that needs to be seen. The corruption will be taken care of,” he added.