As reported first by TOI in its Sunday edition, the allies settled for mid-tier ministries, in a clear indication that coalition constraints may not come in the way of the govt’s functioning.Crucial ministries such as road transport & highways, education, commerce & industry and petroleum remain in the same hands. TDP got civil aviation, the same portfolio it had held when it was part of the govt in Modi’s first term.
J P Nadda, who returned to govt after serving as BJP president, made a comeback to the health ministry, with added responsibility of chemicals and fertilisers, while Jual Oram also got back into the familiar territory of tribal affairs, when portfolios were announced Monday.
Changes in CCS portfolios had always looked unlikely because of the PM’s high level of satisfaction with their performance in the previous term.
Chouhan, the former Madhya Pradesh CM, who is widely credited for the impressive farm growth in the state on his watch, will need to repeat the performance at the national level at a time when farmers have become too dependent on wheat and paddy, thanks to minimum support price.
Besides grappling with incentivising diversification and increasing farmers’ incomes, Chouhan’s challenge will also include ensuring greater investment by the private sector, something that has been missing for years.
Along with agriculture, Chouhan will also hold charge of the rural development ministry which implements MGNREGA and a massive roads programme – both top priorities for the PM – in what is going to also test his delivery skills at the Centre. The twin tasks are important, in any case, but the timing, with reports suggesting that farm and rural distress contributed to BJP’s below par performance, invests them with greater urgency.
Ram Mohan Naidu gets civil aviation, Scindia will handle communication
The crucial responsibilities also mark the full rehabilitation of Chouhan, who appeared to be on the margins after being dropped as MP CM late last year.
Former Haryana CM Manohar Lal has two meaty portfolios in power and urban development, both crucial at a time when PM Modi is keen to give a push to low-cost urban housing, redevelop the govt complex in central Delhi and ensure balanced urbanisation across the country. While the power sector has stabilised, carrying forward the reforms, especially getting power distribution companies back on their financial feet through steps like smart metering, balancing coal-based plants with the need to diversify to “cleaner sources” without causing disruptions, will be crucial. The expectation, quite clearly, seems to be that the former CM with the “no-nonsense” style of functioning may be able to drive matters.
A sense of urgency explains the choice C R Patil, a BJP veteran from Gujarat known for his low profile but effective style of campaigning, for the Jal Shakti ministry where he will be required to get into “mission mode” to ensure delivery of tap water in households across the country, a flagship scheme of the Modi govt. Jal Shakti ministry also handles river interlinking, an ambitious scheme that the Centre is keen on.
Modi has sought to balance the portfolios. For instance, he has handed communications to Jyotiraditya Scindia, and allotted civil aviation, another high-profile ministry, to TDP’s K Ram Mohan Naidu, the youngest cabinet minister.
Ashwini Vaishnaw, who handled communications, retains railways and electronics & IT, and has now been tasked with information and broadcasting which was under Anurag Thakur.
Contrary to speculation that BJP would have to cede important portfolios due to lack of numbers, key allies appear to have settled for relatively low-profile assignments. JD(U) veteran Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’ got panchayati raj besides fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying. LJP-RV’s Chirag Paswan got food processing ministry, something which should give him immense satisfaction, if only because the charge was with his estranged uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras. Another ally, former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, has been appointed MSME minister while former Karnataka CM and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy was assigned heavy industries and steel.
