Chouhan aide Narottam Mishra gets Home and Health portfolios

Bhopal: A day after expanding his cabinet, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday allocated portfolios to the five inductees.

Narottam Mishra, a senior BJP leader and Chouhan’s confidant, was allotted Home, Health and Family Welfare departments, an important assignment in view of the COVID-19 situation in Madhya Pradesh.

Announcing the allocation of departments via a video release, the CM said Tulsi Silawat will be incharge of Water Resources Department and Govind Singh Rajput will head Cooperatives, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Welfare department.

Silawat and Rajput had resigned as MLAs of Congress to join the BJP.

Kamal Patel is entrusted with the Agriculture and Farmer Welfareportfolio while Meena Singh will look after Tribal Welfare department.

Chouhan had assigned two divisions each to the five ministers, after they took oath on Tuesday,to deal with the COVID-19 situation.

He, however, suggested that the arrangements could be temporary.

“The current allocation of departments was made as per the requirement arising due to COVID-19 situation and the need to bring the situation under control,” the CM said.

He said the state cabinet will be expanded once the lockdown is lifted, and that departments will be reallocated after discussions.

On Tuesday, Chouhan effected the first expansion of his single-member Cabinet since he took oath on March 23, after the Kamal Nath-led government collapsed due to rebellion by Jyotiraditya Scindia and resignation of 22 MLAs of the Congress.

Till Tuesday evening, Madhya Pradesh had reported 1552 COVID-19 cases with 80 deaths.