Raipur, Aug 20 (IANS) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expanded his cabinet to its constitutional limit of 14 ministers on Wednesday, inducting three first-time BJP legislators and initiating a sweeping reshuffle of key portfolios.

The move signals a strategic recalibration of governance priorities as the state gears up for accelerated development. Rajesh Agrawal, Guru Khushwant Saheb, and Gajendra Yadav—newly elected MLAs—were sworn in at Raj Bhavan earlier in the day. Their inclusion reflects a deliberate balancing of regional representation and administrative responsibilities.

“With clear division of work and responsibilities, my cabinet colleagues are ready with new energy to serve ‘Chhattisgarh Mahtari’,” Sai posted on X, aligning the reshuffle with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India.

Gajendra Yadav will head School Education, Cottage Industry, and Law and Legislative Affairs—portfolios previously held by CM Sai and Deputy CM Arun Sao. Guru Khushwant Saheb takes charge of Skill Development, Technical Education and Employment, and Scheduled Caste Development, succeeding Deputy CM Vijay Sharma, Kedar Kashyap, and Ram Vichar Netam. Rajesh Agrawal has been entrusted with Tourism, Culture, Religious Trust, and Endowment, all earlier under the Chief Minister’s purview.

The reshuffle also saw CM Sai assume control of the Water Resources department, previously managed by Kashyap. Sai retains a broad spectrum of strategic portfolios, including Mineral Resources, Energy, General Administration, Public Relations, Aviation, Electronics and IT, Good Governance and Convergence, Public Grievance and Redressal, and all departments not specifically allocated.

Kedar Kashyap, who already oversees Forest and Climate Change, Cooperative, and Parliamentary Affairs, has now been assigned the Transport department. Deputy CM Arun Sao adds Sports and Youth Welfare to his existing responsibilities of Public Works, Public Health Engineering, and Urban Administration—taking over from Tank Ram Verma.

Verma, who continues to manage Revenue, Disaster Management, and Rehabilitation, has also been given Higher Education, previously held by the CM. Lakhan Lal Dewangan, in charge of Commerce and Industry and Public Sector Undertakings, will now also handle Commercial Tax (Excise), which was under Sai.

Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, responsible for Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, and Twenty Point Implementation, has been additionally assigned Backward Classes and Minorities Development, earlier with Netam. Portfolios of O P Choudhary (Finance, Commercial Tax excluding Excise, Housing and Environment, Planning, Economics and Statistics), Laxmi Rajwade (Women and Child Development, Social Welfare), and Dayaldas Baghel (Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Protection) remain unchanged.

With the cabinet now operating at full capacity, the Sai government is positioned to intensify its focus on education, infrastructure, and inclusive growth, while streamlining administrative delivery across sectors.

–IANS

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