Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath allocated portfolios to the new ministers who were inducted into the cabinet on March 5. Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) leader Om Prakash Rajbhar was given the Panchayati Raj and Minority Welfare department.

Rajbhar had the responsibility of the department of Backward Classes Welfare and Disabled People’s Development in the Yogi 1.0 government.

Dara Singh Chauhan, who was Forest and Environment Minister in the Yogi 1.0 government, has been given the responsibility of the Prison department this time.

Others include Sunil Sharma who got the Information Technology and Electronics department, and Anil Kumar who has been given Science and Technology department.

A minor reshuffle was also carried out in the cabinet with Dharamveer Prajapati, who was minister of state for industrial development, getting the Civil Defence and Home Guard department.

In a statement, Yogi expressed optimism that the newly-appointed ministers would diligently work for the welfare of people in accordance with the government’s guidelines.

“This allocation of departments marks a significant step towards the effective functioning of the state government. The aim is to address various sectors and issues crucial for the overall development and security of the state,” he said.

The Yogi government carried out the first cabinet expansion during his second term as chief minister on March 5. The current UP Council of Ministers has 52 members — 18 cabinet ministers, including the chief minister, 14 ministers of state (independent charge), and 20 ministers of state.