Siddaramaiah keeps Finance, DK Shivakumar gets Irrigation, Bengaluru development

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has assigned portfolios to ministers in his Cabinet, retaining the Finance department for himself while entrusting the Irrigation and Bengaluru City Development departments to his deputy DK Shivakumar.

Following his swearing-in ceremony on May 20, Siddaramaiah expanded the Cabinet by inducting 24 new ministers on Saturday after extensive consultations with the Congress’ central leadership. G Parameshwara, who previously oversaw the Home department, has been reassigned to the same portfolio. MB Patil has been appointed as the new Large and Medium Industries minister, while KJ George has been given charge of the Energy department, according to a notification released late on Sunday by the Karnataka government. In addition to the Finance department, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has retained responsibility for Cabinet Affairs, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Intelligence, Information, IT and BT, Infrastructure Development, and all unallocated portfolios.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has been entrusted with the crucial Major and Medium Irrigation and Bengaluru City Development departments, including the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore Development Authority, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority, and the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited. Despite five MLAs from the city being ministers in the Cabinet, Shivakumar, who hails from the neighboring Ramanagara district, has been given the important Bengaluru City Development portfolio, which holds significance in light of the upcoming BBMP polls.