Delhi Chief Minister Atishi to head 13 departments, Saurabh Bharadwaj gets 8
AAP leader Atishi was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Delhi on Saturday, succeeding Arvind Kejriwal, who resigned earlier this week.
The 43-year-old first-time legislator will oversee 13 ministries which she was previously in charge of in the former government. Notably, her predecessor, Kejriwal, did not hold any specific departments while serving as Chief Minister.
Atishi will be responsible for the following ministries: 1) Public Works Department, 2) Power, 3) Education, 4) Higher Education, 5) Training & Technical Education, 6) Public Relations Department, 7) Revenue, 8) Finance, 9) Planning, 10) Services, 11) Vigilance, 12) Water, and 13) Law, Justice, and Legislative Affairs, along with any other portfolios not specifically allocated to other ministers.
Her five-member Council of Ministers was also sworn in today, including one new member. The four ministers retained from the previous government will generally continue with their existing portfolios.
Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj will oversee eight departments: 1) Urban Development, 2) Irrigation and Flood Control, 3) Health, 4) Industries, 5) Art, Culture & Language, 6) Tourism, 7) Social Welfare, and 8) Cooperative.
The social welfare and cooperative departments were earlier held by Raaj Kumar Anand, who resigned in April. Minister Gopal Rai will manage three departments: 1) Development, 2) General Administration Department, and 3) Environment, Forest and Wildlife.
Minister Kailash Gahlot has been assigned five portfolios: 1) Transport, 2) Administrative Reforms, 3) Information Technology, 4) Home, and 5) Women and Child Development. Imran Hussain retains his two portfolios–Food and Civil Supplies, and Elections.
The new entrant to the ministry, Mukesh Ahlawat, has been given five responsibilities: 1) Gurudwara Elections, 2) SC & ST Welfare, 3) Land & Building, 4) Labour, and 5) Employment.
The Atishi government is expected to have a short tenure, as the Delhi Assembly elections are slated to take place in February next year.