DK Shivakumar-led Karnataka cabinet portfolio allocation: CM keeps Finance, Law among others — who gets what?

Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday announced the allocation of portfolios to the newly appointed ministers, 10 days after inducting new members into his cabinet. He also reshuffled the responsibilities of some Ministers who had joined the government earlier.

The Shivakumar-led Karnataka cabinet currently has no woman minister.

Shivakumar has retained several key portfolios, including Finance, Cabinet Affairs, Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Intelligence, Information, Law and Justice, Parliamentary Affairs and Legislation, and Agriculture Marketing.

He will also continue to oversee Town and Country Planning and urban local bodies under the Bangalore Development Authority and Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA).

BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan has been assigned the Housing Department, while Lakshman Savadi will handle the Co-operation portfolio. Rudrappa Manappa Lamani, who recently stepped down as Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, has been given charge of Sugar and Textiles, according to PTI.

The Chief Minister also reassigned departments held by two ministers who had reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with their earlier portfolios. Ramalinga Reddy has been shifted from Major Irrigation to Forest, Ecology and Environment, while KH Muniyappa has been moved from Food and Civil Supplies to Social Welfare.

Karnataka Health Minister UT Khader has been assigned the additional portfolios of Minority Welfare, Haj and Wakf.

Shivaraj Tangadagi will oversee Backward Classes Welfare as well as Kannada and Culture, while T Raghumurthy has been given charge of ST Welfare. Ajay Singh will handle Minor Irrigation and Science and Technology, and Cheluvarayaswamy will look after Major and Medium Irrigation.

Madhu Bangarappa has been allocated Primary and Secondary Education, while Basavaraj Raya Reddy will be in charge of Higher Education. Shivalinge Gowda has been assigned the Excise portfolio.

Puttaranga Shetty will oversee Animal Husbandry and Sericulture, while Vijayananda Kashappanavar will handle Small Scale Industries and Public Enterprises. Santosh Lad has been given Labour and Employment.

KS Basvanthappa will look after Muzrai, Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport, while SS Mallikarjun has been assigned Mines and Geology as well as Horticulture.

Rizwan Arshad will handle Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Narendra Swamy will oversee Agriculture, and HC Balakrishna has been given Municipal Administration.

B Nagendra will be responsible for Planning and Statistics.

Shivakumar expanded his Council of Ministers on 3 August, inducting 19 new ministers and taking the total strength of the cabinet to 33, with one position still vacant. The allocation of portfolios was announced a day before the Monsoon Session of the Karnataka legislature was scheduled to begin.

Cong MLA Ponnanna appointed as Political Secretary to Shivakumar

The Karnataka government on Wednesday appointed Congress MLA AS Ponnanna as Political Secretary to Shivakumar, granting him the status of a Cabinet Minister.

The appointment comes shortly after the All India Congress Committee (AICC) had nominated Ponnanna as its candidate for the post of Deputy Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.

"AS Ponnanna, Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Virajpet Assembly Constituency, is hereby appointed as the Political Secretary to the chief minister with immediate effect and until further orders, and is accorded the status of a Cabinet Minister," an official notification mentioned.