Thiruvananthapuam: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will retain key portfolios including Home, Vigilance, IT, General Administration and Environment in the successive LDF government in the state while his son-in- law P A Mohamed Riyas and Veena George, both first time ministers, will handle PWD and Health, respectively.
Veena George, a former journalist and Aranmula MLA, will succeed the popular K K Shailaja, who played a leading role in the state's fight against COVID-19, and whose omission in the new cabinet had created a flutter.
Vijayan will also keep Planning and Economic Affairs, Personnel and Administrative Reforms and Non- Resident Keralites' Affairs among others while his confidant and first-time legislator K N Balagopal will helm the Finance Department, replacing the high-profile T M Thomas Isaac as the portfolios of the new ministers were announced here on Friday.
Besides health and family affairs, Veena George is also entrusted with the women and child welfare department.
The portfolios for the CPM ministers were decided in an LDF meet held at AKG Centre in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. However, Vijayan handed over the portfolios of respective ministers to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and the government order in this connection was issued late Thursday night.
The portfolios decided are as follows:
Pinarayi Vijayan (CPM)
Home, Vigilance, General Administration, All India Services, Planning and Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, Pollution Control, Scientific Institutes, Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Election, Integration, Information Technology, Sainik Welfare, Distress Relief, State Hospitality, Airports, Metro Rail, Inter - State River Waters, Coastal Shipping and Inland Navigation, Kerala State Inland Navigation Corporation, Information and Public Relations, Non- Resident Keralites' Affairs, Administration of Civil and Criminal Justice, Fire and Rescue Services, Prisons, Printing and Stationery, Welfare of Minorities, All important policy matters and subjects not mentioned elsewhere.
M V Govindan (CPM)
Excise, Local Self-Governments, Rural Development, Town Planning, Regional Development Authorities and KILA
K N Balagopal (CPM)
Finance, National Savings, Stores Purchase, Commercial Taxes, Agricultural Income Tax, Treasuries, Lotteries, State Audit, Kerala State Financial Enterprises, State Insurance, Kerala Financial Corporation and Stamps and Stamp Duties
P Rajeev (CPM)
Law, Industries (including industrial co-operatives), Commerce, Mining & Geology, Handlooms & Textiles, Khadi & Village Industries, Coir, Cashew Industry and Plantation Directorate
Veena George (CPM)
Health, Family Welfare, Medical Education, Medical University, Indigenous Medicine, AYUSH, Drugs Control and Woman & Child Welfare
R Bindu (CPM)
Collegiate Education, Technical Education, Universities (Except Agriculture, Veterinary, Fisheries, Medical and Digital Universities), Entrance Examinations, National Cadet Corps, Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP) and Social Justice
K Radhakrishnan (CPM)
Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes, Devaswoms and Parliamentary Affairs
Saji Cheriyan (CPM)
Fisheries, Youth Affairs, Culture, Harbour Engineering, Fisheries University, Kerala State Film Development Corporation, Kerala State Chalachitra Academy and Kerala State Cultural Activists Welfare Fund Board
V Sivankutty (CPM)
General Education, Labour, Literacy Movement, Employment and Training, Skills, Rehabilitation, Factories and Boilers, Insurance Medical Service, Industrial Tribunals and Labour Courts
V N Vasavan (CPM)
Co-operation and Registration
P A Muhammad Riyas (CPM)
Public Works Department and Tourism
V Abdurahiman (Independent)
Sports, Wakf and Haj Pilgrimage, Posts & Telegraphs and Railways
J Chinchu Rani (CPI)
Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, Milk Co-operatives, Zoos, Kerala Veterinary & Animal Sciences University
K Rajan (CPI)
Land Revenue, Survey and Land Records, Land Reforms and Housing
P Prasad (CPI)
Agriculture, Soil Survey & Soil Conservation, Kerala Agriculture University and Warehousing Corporation
G R Anil - CPI
Food and Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology
Roshy Augustine (KCM)
Irrigation, Command Area Development Authority, Ground Water Department, Water Supply and Sanitation
Antony Raju (Janadhipathya Kerala Congress)
Road Transport, Motor Vehicles and Water Transport
Ahamed Devarkovil (INL)
Ports, Museums, Archaeology and Archives
K Krishnankutty (JDS)
Electricity and ANERT
A K Saseendran (NCP)
Forest & Wild Life
M B Rajesh (CPM)
Speaker
Chittayam Gopakumar (CPI)
Deputy Speaker
N Jarayaj (KCM)
Chief Whip