Puducherry: Almost three months after All India NR Congress (AINRC)-led NDA formed govt in the Union territory of Puducherry, the allocation of portfolios for AINRC founder and chief minister N Rangasamy and his five cabinet colleagues was officially announced on Wednesday night.Rangasamy retained primary governance and financial departments, including planning and finance, revenue and excise, health and family welfare, and local administration. He would also take care of transport, science, technology and environment, Hindu religious institutions and Waqf board, along with a slew of other departments.His cabinet colleague A Namassivayam (BJP), designated as home minister, will also hold law, education, electricity, animal husbandry and forest. Malladi Krishna Rao (AINRC), who has been assigned public works, will hold additional portfolios of port, tourism and civil aviation, industries and commerce, fisheries, and labour. P Rajavelu (AINRC) will be Adi Dravidar welfare minister, and additionally handle housing and information technology ministries. V P Sivakolundhu (AINRC) has been assigned civil supplies & consumer affairs, as well as social welfare, backward class welfare, women & child development, and minority affairs. G N S Rajasekaran will be the agriculture minister.Following the election results on May 4, Rangasamy, along with two ministers (one each from AINRC and BJP) took oath of office on May 13, but no departments were assigned. This left the two ministries under the chief minister’s direct oversight. On June 17, 34 days after the initial swearing-in, the cabinet was expanded with three additional ministers (two AINRC and one BJP), but portfolios were not allocated then.
