The portfolios of new ministers in the Kerala government was announced on Friday, a day after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his Cabinet members took the oath of office, reported News 18. Besides Vijayan, there are 20 ministers in the Cabinet. Seventeen of them are first-timers.

Communist Party of India MLA Veena George will replace KK Shailaja as the health minister. Veena George, who was a journalist before joining politics, won from Aranmula constituency a second time in this election.

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The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has been criticised for dropping Shailaja from the new Cabinet, despite her praiseworthy record in handling of the Covid-19 and Nipah outbreaks in the state. The party, however, has said that dropping her was a “political and organisational” decision, as it had chosen to induct new ministers for each portfolio. That said, the chief minister has retained the state’s home ministry.

The CPI(M) has 12 ministers in the Cabinet and the CPI four. The Kerala Congress (M), Indian National League, Democratic Kerala Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and Janata Dal (Secular) have one minister each.

CPI (M) leader MB Rajesh is the Speaker and CPI’s Chittayam Gopakumar the Deputy Speaker of the new Assembly. Kerala Congress (M) MLA N Jayaraj is the chief whip.

Here is the full list of ministers and their portfolios:

  • Pinarayi Vijayan: General Administration, All India Services, Planning and Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, Pollution Control, Scientific Institutes, Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Election, Integration, Information Technology, Sainik Welfare, Distress Relief, State Hospitality, Airports, Metro Rail, Inter-State River Waters, Coastal Shipping and Inland Navigation, Kerala State Inland Navigation Corporation, Information and Public Relations, Non-Resident Keralites’ Affairs, Home, Vigilance, Administration of Civil and Criminal Justice, Fire and Rescue Services, Prisons, Printing and Stationery, Welfare of Minorities, All important policy matters and subjects not mentioned elsewhere
  • Veena George: Health, Family Welfare, Medical Education, Medical University, Indigenous Medicine, AYUSH, Drugs Control and Woman & Child Welfare
  • K Rajan: Land Revenue, Survey and Land Records, Land Reforms, Housing
  • Roshy Augustine: Irrigation, Command Area Development Authority, Ground Water Department and Water Supply and Sanitation
  • K Krishnankutty: Electricity and Agency for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology.
  • AK Saseendran: Forests and Wild Life Protection
  • Ahammad Devarkovil: Ports, Museums, Archaeology and Archives
  • Antony Raju: Road Transport, Motor Vehicles and Water Transport
  • V Abdurahiman: Sports, Wakf and Haj Pilgrimage, Posts & Telegraphs and Railways
  • GR Anil: Food and Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology
  • KN Balagopal: Finance, National Savings, Stores Purchase, Commercial Taxes, Agricultural Income Tax, Treasuries, Lotteries, State Audit, Kerala State Financial Enterprises, State Insurance, Kerala Financial Corporation and Stamps and Stamp Duties
  • R Bindu: Collegiate Education, Technical Education, Universities (except Agriculture, Veterinary, Fisheries, Medical and Digital Universities), Entrance Examinations, National Cadet Corps, Additional Skill Acquisition Programme and Social Justice
  • J Chinchurani: Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, Milk Co-operatives, Zoos and Kerala Veterinary & Animal Sciences University
  • MV Govindan Master: Local Self Governments – Panchayats, Municipalities and Corporations, Rural Development, Town Planning, Regional Development Authorities, Kerala Institute of Local Administration and Excise
  • PA Mohamed Riyas: Public Works Department and Tourism
  • P Prasad: Agriculture, Soil Survey & Soil Conservation, Kerala Agriculture University and Warehousing Corporation
  • K Radhakrishnan: Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes, Devaswoms and Parliamentary Affairs
  • P Rajeeve: Law, Industries (including Industrial Co-operatives), Commerce, Mining and Geology, Handlooms and Textiles, Khadi and Village Industries, Coir, Cashew Industry and Plantation Directorate
  • Saji Cherian: Fisheries, Harbour Engineering, Fisheries University, Culture, Kerala State Film Development Corporation, Youth Affairs and Kerala State Chalachitra Academy and Kerala State Cultural Activists Welfare Fund and Board 
  • V Sivankutty: General Education, Literacy Movement, Labour, Employment and Training, Skills, Rehabilitation, Factories and Boilers, Insurance Medical Service, Industrial Tribunals and Labour Courts
  • V N Vasavan: Co-operation and Registration.