Maharashtra Portfolio Allocation: Ajit Pawar Gets Finance, Aditya Thackeray Bags Environment & Tourism Ministry

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has also approved the allocation of portfolios as proposed by the Chief Minister.

Maha Vikas Aghadi Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday allocated the portfolios to his team of ministers, six days after he expanded the cabinet on December 30, officials said

Mumbai: Maha Vikas Aghadi Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday allocated the portfolios to his team of ministers, six days after he expanded the cabinet on December 30, officials said. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has also approved the allocation of portfolios as proposed by the Chief Minister. The CM's son and Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray, who was also at the forefront of Aarey protest, was handed the charge of Environment, Tourism and Protocol while Nationalist Congress Party's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is the new Finance Minister. On the other hand, Pawar's his party colleague Anil Deshmukh will be the Home Minister. Eknath Shinde will handle the Urban Development portfolio, while their senior party colleague Subhash Desai will handle Industries Ministry. The Congress' Balasaheb Thorat is the new Revenue Minister, and Nitin Raut will handle new Energy portfolio, while former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has been given the Public Works Department. Jayant Patil will look after Water Resources, Chhagan Bhujbal has been given charge of Food and Supply ministry whereas Nawab Malik is assigned with the charge of Minority welfare. Dada Bhuse is assigned Agriculture, Sandeepan Bhumre Employment Guarantee, Gulabrao Patil - Water supply and Shankarrao Gadakh will be looking after the irrigation department. The Maharashtra government which was formed after days of deliberations between Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena had its cabinet expansion earlier this week. On November 28, Uddhav Thackeray took oath as Chief Minister bringing an end to weeks of political instability in the state's politics after Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress stitched a post-poll coalition as Maha Vikas Aghadi. Along with the Chief Minister six other ministers -- two each from NCP, Congress, and Shiv Sena took the oath of office. On December 30, a total of 36 leaders from Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress, including Ajit Pawar and Aaditya Thackeray, took oath as ministers in the Maharashtra government.