The New Delhi government recently announced the distribution of ministerial portfolios following a cabinet meeting. Chief Minister and six cabinet ministers will manage various ministries, with Rekha Gupta overseeing at least ten, including the significant finance portfolio. Parvesh Verma received key responsibilities for water, irrigation, and flood control, while Kapil Mishra handles law, labour, and tourism. Ashish Sood leads seven departments, including education and power. Manjinder Singh Sirsa is assigned food and supplies, environment, and industries, contributing to the Yamuna cleanup. Ravinder Singh will manage social welfare and election portfolios, reflecting a diverse cabinet structure.
New Delhi:
The portfolios of the ministers in the new Delhi government were revealed following a cabinet meeting this evening. The ministries have been distributed among the Chief Minister and her six cabinet members, with Rekha Gupta and Parvesh Verma playing significant roles. Mr. Verma has been assigned the crucial water portfolio, as well as the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, responsible for the cleanup of the Yamuna river, while Kapil Mishra will oversee the law department.
Ms. Gupta will manage at least 10 portfolios, in addition to any others that may be allocated later, as stated by the government.
The most burdensome of her responsibilities is finance. Although it was initially anticipated she would oversee the home department, that role has been given to Ashish Sood, who will manage seven departments.
The Chief Minister’s other duties encompass Revenue, General Administration, Information and Public Relations, Vigilance, Land and Building, and Women and Child Development portfolios.
A former vice-president of the BJP’s Delhi unit, Mr. Sood also has significant responsibilities in two areas that have garnered attention since the Aam Aadmi Party’s governance—Education, a flagship sector for AAP, and the power department, due to AAP’s extensive power subsidy initiatives.
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, representing the BJP’s Sikh community in Delhi, has been assigned Food and Supplies, Forest and Environment, and Industries. In his role as industries minister, he is expected to contribute to the Yamuna cleanup, as industrial effluents have a major impact on river pollution.
Kapil Mishra, who initially served as a minister in Arvind Kejriwal’s cabinet, later resigned to join the BJP, is now returning to the Delhi cabinet. In addition to overseeing the law and justice department, he will manage the Labour, Art and Culture, Language, and Tourism portfolios.
Ravinder Singh is responsible for Social Welfare, SC and ST Welfare, Cooperative, and Elections portfolios.