38-member Cong-NCP ministry sworn in

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

Related Articles

Gadkari appears set to become next BJP PresidentVoting ends in R'sthan by-polls, 50% polling recor...Indira Gandhi proved India is not a soft stateProve majority within week: Governor to Hooda

Mumbai: The newly constituted Congress-NCP government will on a priority basis expedite the development of Mumbai as an international finance centre and also focus on the time bound implementation of over Rs 50,000 crore infrastructure projects in Mumbai, load-shedding free Maharashtra in three years and regaining the past glory.

Immediately after sworn in, the chief minister Ashok Chavan and his deputy Chhagan Bhujbal also made it clear that the government was well prepared to face 26/11 incident and necessary measures have been put in place. Besides, the government would deal with naxalite menace firmly.

Chavan, who became the CM for second time in a row, admitted that there has been a close competition from various states to attract investments. However, he claried that Maharashtra continues to be the most favoured destination. He informed that the government will also give priority to the implementation of 21-point programme declared in the Congress-NCP-RPI manifesto and added that the state Cabinet will take decision within a month. The programme lays emphasis on housing, removal of regional imbalance, expediting agricultural growth.

Chavan said a special mechanism would be put in place to monitor the time bound implementation of government decisions. Chavan and Bhujbal stated that the government would take adequate measures to solve the scarcity situation arising due to scanty rainfall in various parts of the state. Chavan informed that a three-day session of the new legislative assembly would take place from November 9. Besides oath by all newly elected members, a new Speaker of the legislative assembly will be elected.

Earlier, at a function at the Raj Bhavan, governor SC Jamir administered oath of office and secrecy to 38 members including Chavan and Bhujbal. This ended the fortnight-long political logjam with coalition partner NCP over portfolio distribution that delayed government formation. The two-tier government has 27 cabinet ministers and 11 ministers of state. While 18 ministers are from the Congress, Sharad Pawar-led NCP has 20. Ministers of state in the outgoing government Naseem Khan, Suresh Shetty and Hasan Mushrif were elevated to cabinet rank. Former ministers RR Patil, Rajendra Darda, Laxmanrao Dhoble, Anil Deshmukh, Shivajirao Moghe and Jaidutt Kshirsagar have made a comeback as cabinet ministers.