Delhi Minister Atishi Gets Additional Charge Of Service And Vigilance Dept After LG Saxena's Nod

Earlier, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had both ministries, which have now been assigned to the lone woman in the Delhi Cabinet.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Saturday approved Delhi government's decision to hand over the portfolio of the service and vigilance departments to Public Works Department minister Atishi, news agency ANI reported. In the past, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had both ministries, which have now been assigned to Atishi. 

The AAP government had announced the decision to allocate additional charges to Atishi a day after the Rajya Sabha  passed the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which replaced an ordinance issued by the federal government on May 19 to grant the LG power over bureaucrats in Delhi.

After Saxena accepted the proposal to restructure the Cabinet, she was given extra responsibility for the revenue, planning, and finance ministries in June. These three ministries once reported to Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot.

Atishi will now hold 14 ministries, including education and power, the most of any municipal government minister. Atishi is a member of the Kalkaji constituency.

Atishi is the only female minister in Kejriwal's cabinet of seven.

She was ordained as a pastor for the first time in March.

The Delhi Cabinet has made many changes to ministerial positions in recent months. Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi were sworn in as ministers in March this year, following the resignations of Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, who are now in jail on money laundering charges.