Keeping Chief Minister Raman Singh’s resolve to steadfastly deliver promises made in the BJP’s poll manifesto, eight of the nine Ministers of Raman Cabinet instantly got into business after assuming charge at the Mantralaya on Thursday.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Punnulal Mohle was the lone Minister who failed to take charge of his portfolios on Thursday. Minister for Agriculture, Water Resources, Religious Trusts and Endowment, Brijmohan Agrawal performed a puja in his chamber on Thursday afternoon before assuming charge.
Immediately after, Agrawal took up files pertaining to arrangements to be made for the 15-day Rajim Kumbh Mela, to be held from February 14 next year, besides, those concerning the scheme of ‘Agriculture Health Card’ comprising information on soil requirement for various crops.
While at work, the Minister told the officials that working for the betterment and happiness of the farmers in compliance with the poll manifesto under the leadership of Chief Minister Raman Singh would be top priority of the department.
Agrawal also met former Agriculture Minister Chandrashekhar Sahu in his chamber who gifted him a ‘Tiller’ and traditional ‘Khumri’ as a mark of his good will and good wishes.
Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, Commercial Tax and labour, Amar Agrawal after assuming charge immediately called a meeting of senior officials and listed out the work priorities of his department.
Agrawal told the officials that a slew of health related schemes were previously launched by the State Government and the priority should be to reach them to the general public.
He also stated that all efforts must be made for commencement of the medical colleges at Ambikapur and Rajnandgaon at the earliest.
The Minister also stated that there had been changes in the rules effected for ‘Sanjeenavi Kosh’ but the needy due to lack of sufficient communication had not been able to benefit from them. An Awareness drive should be launched to benefit the needy from the scheme, he said.
Similarly, Minister for Higher Education, Technical Education, Revenue and Disaster Management, Premprakash Pandey after assuming charge also called a meeting of the officials and sought information on the ongoing departmental projects and status of work of various projects.
Pandey said that the forthcoming Education Policy must be such that it could have holistic applicability for all students. Wherever, amendment in the rules would be required, it would be done for the benefit of the students, he said.
Minister for PWD, Housing & Environment and Transport Rajesh Munat after performing Puja in his chamber assumed charge and immediately commenced the day’s work.
The Minister first signed on a few files pertaining to the Housing & Environment Department and later ratified orders concerning appointment of Chairmen of Raipur Development Authority (RDA) and Chhattisgarh State Housing Board.
Munat ratified the name of Principal Secretary, Housing and Environment N Baijendra Kumar for the post of Chairman of Chhattisgarh State Housing Board and the name S S Bajaj who is currently Vice Chairman of Naya Raipur Development Authority (NRDA) as Chairman of Raipur Development Authority.
The other Ministers who assumed charge on Thursday were Minister for Panchayat, Rural Development, Culture and Tourism Ajay Chandrakar who was welcomed by the officials and staff in his chamber followed by Minister for Tribal and Scheduled Caste Development, Backward Classes, Minority Development and School Education Kedar Kashyap, Minister for Home, Jail and Public Health Engineering Ramsevak Paikra who also called on Chief Minister Raman Singh with residents of Sarguja division before assuming charge back in Raipur at his residence besides Minister for Woman and Child Development and Social Welfare Ramshila Sahu.