Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik carried out a major revamp of his cabinet on Saturday by asking all the 20 ministers to resign from their respective posts. In the newly-formed cabinet, as many as 13 MLAs have been given cabinet ministerial berths while eight MLAs have been given the minister of state portfolios.
With less than two years left for Lok Sabha and Assembly elections to commence, living up to the expectation of BJD supremo and common people would be a herculean task for newly-inducted ministers.
After the swearing-in ceremony, the newly-inducted ministers will focus on how to bring remarkable changes in their respective departments.
For the first time, Naveen Patnaik has entrusted five important departments to women ministers. For Revenue & Disaster Management Pramila Mallick, handling natural calamities like floods, cyclones, drought, land dispute cases, and sand lifting cases will be difficult affairs.
Similarly, for Housing & Urban Development minister Usha Devi providing land to landless slum people through Jaga Mission among other basic amenities would be tough.
For Water Resources, Commerce & Transport minister Smt Tukuni Sahu, sorting out irrigation-related issues would be a knotty affair.
The state government had promised to ensure 35 per cent of irrigation in each block of the state. Again the government had announced that 35 per cent land of each village will be irrigated. However, none of the promises have been fulfilled. For Tukuni Sahoo, sorting out these issues will be major challenges.
Target of Basanti Hembram who is holding minister of state rank in the new ministry will be fulfilling the goal of Mission Shakti by providing Rs 50,000 crore to Self Help Groups and Rs 6,000 crore through different business to SHGs.
It will be seen how Shri Pratap Keshari Deb looking after Industries, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Energy departments solve power cut and employment issues.
Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak who is into Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare, Co-operation department may find it difficult to sort out problems related to paddy collection and token issues.
When it comes to Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Fisheries & Animal Resources Development minister Ranendra Pratap Swain, it will be seen how he will effectively manage farmers’ problems and ensure proper implementation of KALIA yojana.
Steel & Mines, Works minister Prafulla Kumar Mallik will have come up with beautification drive to give a facelift to Jagannath temple, Lingaraj temple and Tarini temple.
For Health Minister Naba Kishore Das it would be his vision to develop infrastructure of healthcare system.
For Forest & Environment, Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water, Information & Public Relations minister Pradip Kumar Amat, the prime objective would be provide round-the-clock drinking water supply. For newly-inducted Rural Development minister Preeti Ranjan Ghadai it would be challenging to construct pakka roads in remote areas. For Labour Minister Srikant Sahu it would be difficult to address migration problems.
While Higher Education Minister Rohit Pujari would try to implement Odisha Universities’ Amendment Act, Samir Das would try to sort out issues related to teachers.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) Tusharkanti Behera will be finding it hard to bring changes in law and order situation.
When contacted, Pramila Mallick said “As I am into Revenue & Disaster Management, I will try to ensure zero causality during natural calamities.”
Samir Das said “Education sector will be given much priority and many projects will be taken to bring positive changes in the sector.”
“There are many challenges. Whatever left in last three years will be attained and we would try to sort out challenges of coming two years,” said Tusharakanti Behera.