MP CM rewards those close to him with plump portfolios

In a major rejig of portfolios by inducting new faces and dropping veterans from the Cabinet, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister has rewarded those close to him with important ministries like Home, Industries, Water Resources, while downsized those who tried to flex muscles.
After formation of the new Cabinet, Chouhan took over two days to decide on the vexed issue of allocating portfolios.
The portfolios were allocated after 10 PM last night. There is, however, no word on the constitution of the novel Ministry of Happiness, which the CM had announced earlier.
Chouhan gave a free hand to Ministers of State by giving them independent charge of few departments, something never done by any of his predecessors before.

Ministers known to be close to him like Bhupendra Singh was given the important Home Ministry, while government's trouble shooter, Narottam Mishra was rewarded with the Water Resources and Public Relations portfolios.
Chouhan also raised the stature of Rajendra Shukla by allocating him Industries Ministry, just ahead of the mega event, Global Investors Meet.

Besides, Singh will continue to retain Transport Ministry while Mishra, Parliamentary Affairs.
The chief minister also rewarded his trusted minister, Rampal Singh with the Public Works Department.
Balancing power between the erstwhile royal family of Gwalior, Chouhan took away Industries from Yashodhara Raje Scindia but rewarded another member of the family, Maya Singh with an all important Urban Administration and Development department, which is mandated to implement Smart Cities and Metro Rail projects in the state.

Pawaiya was also given the charge of Public Service
Management and Public Grievances departments.
The chief minister allocated School Education department to Vijay Shah by taking away Food and Civil Supplies Ministry from him. Paras Jain, who was heading School Education department, was given the charge to head the crucial Energy Ministry.
Newly inducted Rustam Singh was allocated Public Health and Family Welfare, while Archana Chitnis was given the charge of Women and Child Development.
All nine Ministers of State were given Independent charge of at least one department, including five newly inducted ones, an experiment which is probably done for the first time in the state.

The newly inducted Ministers of State are Vishwas Sarang, Sanjay Pathak, Suryaprakash Meena, Lalita Yadav and Harsh Singh.
On the issue of the much-talked about Ministry of Happiness, to be formed on the lines of Bhutan, a top government official clarified that it will be constituted once the Cabinet approves it and a notification for its creation is issued.
The Chouhan dispensation now has 20 cabinet ministers and nine Ministers of State. Under the rules, the State Cabinet can have a maximum strength of 33.
Chouhan had sprung a surprise by dropping powerful Ministers like Babulal Gaur (85) and Sartaj Singh (76) by implementing the formula of 'old age' in the cabinet expansion that was done a little over two years after the Chouhan-led government took charge of the office for the third-term.