Adityanath allots portfolios — Jitin gets tech edu, co-operative for Sangeeta Balwant

The charge of the Technical Education Department was with the chief minister since the death of Kamal Rani Varun, who died of Covid-19 in August last year.

A day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expanded his Cabinet by inducting seven ministers, he allocated the portfolio of Technical Education to Jitin Prasada, who had recently quit the Congress to join the ruling BJP.

The charge of the Technical Education Department was with the chief minister since the death of Kamal Rani Varun, who died of Covid-19 in August last year.

Prasada, 47, the lone Brahmin face and the only Cabinet-rank minister in the latest expansion, was nominated as Member of Legislative Council on Sunday itself after the swearing-in ceremony.

Among the six Ministers of State, Paltu Ram (45) has been given the charge of Sainik Kalyan, Homeguards, Prantiya Raksha Dal and Nagrik Suraksha Department. The BJP MLA from Balrampur Sadar (Reserved) seat, is one of the two Scheduled Caste leaders included in the expanded Cabinet. The other is Dinesh Khatik (45), who has been allotted Jal Shakti and Flood Control Department. The BJP MLA from Hastinapur (Reserved) Assembly seat in Meerut has been an active RSS worker.

OBC leader Sangeeta Balwant (42) — the lone woman minister in the expansion — has been given charge of the Co-operative Department.

The other OBC leader in the Cabinet expansion, Dharamveer Prajapati, has been given the charge of the Minister of State for Industrial Development. The MLC hails from Hathras in west UP.

Chhatrapal Singh Gangwar, 65, has been made MoS Revenue Department, whereas Sanjeev Kumar (41) is the new MoS (Social Welfare, SC/ST Welfare Department). The BJP MLA from Obra in Sonbhadra district, Kumar is considered to have influence among the significant Adivasi population in the region, especially the Gond community.

Chief Minister Adityanath said the expansion reflected “social balance” and “gives representation to all sections”.

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