Fadnavis allocates portfolios, retains home

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Sunday allocated portfolios of his new cabinet colleague, an official statement said here.

Fadnavis retained the crucial portfolios of home and urban development as well as departments not allocated to any other minister.

Eknath Khadse, the former leader of opposition in the assembly, will handle revenue, minorities development and Wakf, agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy development and fisheries, and excise, while former state BJP president Sudhir Mungantiwar will be the new finance minister as well as holding charge of planning and forests.

Vinod Tawde, currently leader of opposition on the council, will look after school education and sports, higher and technical education, medical education, Marathi Bhasha, and culture, while Prakash Mehta has been assigned the crucial portfolios of industries and mining, and parliamentary affairs.

Chandrakant Patil will handle co-operation, marketing and textiles, and public works (including public undertakings.

The only woman cabinet minister Pankaja Munde has been allotted rural development and water Conservation, and women and child development.

Vishnu Savara will look after tribal development, and social justice.

Of the two ministers of state, Dilip Kamble will look after tribal development and social justice and Vidya Thakur handle rural development and water conservation and women and child development

Fadnavis was sworn-in Friday evening and assumed charge of his office Saturday.

On Sunday, Fadnavis and his family left for his home town Nagpur where he was given a tumultous reception by thousands of supporters at the airport.