Parrikar retains Home, Fince; others get a ministry each

Paji, March 20: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday retained the key portfolios of Home and Fince, and allotted one ministry each to nine other cabinet ministers. While two BJP ministers Francis D’Souza and Pandurang Madkaikar have been given the Urban Development and Power, three Goa Forward Party legislators Vijai Sardesai, Vinod Paliencar and Jayesh Salgaocar have been given respectively the Town and Country Planning, Water Resources Department and Housing Board.

The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, which has two lawmakers Sudin Dhavalikar and Manohar Azgaonkar in the cabinet, has been given the coveted Public Works Department and Tourism ministries.

Independent legislators Rohan Khaunte and Govind Gawde, who have extended their support to Parrikar to form the new ministry in Goa, have been allotted the Revenue, and Art and Culture ministries.

The allotment of ministries was notified in the state government gazette on Monday after formal approval of Goa Governor Mridula Sinha earlier in the day. Parrikar was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of the state on March 14. (IANS)