Raipur, Aug 20 (NationPress) Chhattisgarh's Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has expanded his cabinet to the constitutional limit of 14 ministers on Wednesday, welcoming three first-time BJP legislators and initiating a comprehensive overhaul of significant portfolios.

This strategic move indicates a recalibration of governance priorities as the state prepares for faster development. Newly elected MLAs Rajesh Agrawal, Guru Khushwant Saheb, and Gajendra Yadav were ceremoniously sworn in at Raj Bhavan earlier in the day. Their appointment illustrates a conscious effort to balance regional representation with administrative duties.

“With a clear division of responsibilities, my cabinet team is energized to serve ‘Chhattisgarh Mahtari’,” Sai expressed on X, aligning this reshuffle with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a developed India.

Gajendra Yadav will now lead the departments of School Education, Cottage Industry, and Law and Legislative Affairs, which were previously under the purview of CM Sai and Deputy CM Arun Sao. Guru Khushwant Saheb will take on Skill Development, Technical Education and Employment, and Scheduled Caste Development, succeeding Deputy CM Vijay Sharma, Kedar Kashyap, and Ram Vichar Netam. Rajesh Agrawal has been assigned the responsibilities of Tourism, Culture, Religious Trust, and Endowment, all previously managed by the Chief Minister.

The cabinet reshuffle also allowed CM Sai to take control of the Water Resources department, which was previously overseen by Kashyap. Sai retains a wide array of strategic portfolios, including Mineral Resources, Energy, General Administration, Public Relations, Aviation, Electronics and IT, Good Governance and Convergence, Public Grievance and Redressal, and all other departments not specifically assigned.

Kedar Kashyap, who already manages Forest and Climate Change, Cooperative, and Parliamentary Affairs, has now been given the Transport department. Deputy CM Arun Sao will also oversee Sports and Youth Welfare, in addition to his existing roles in Public Works, Public Health Engineering, and Urban Administration, taking over from Tank Ram Verma.

Verma, who continues to oversee Revenue, Disaster Management, and Rehabilitation, has now been assigned Higher Education, previously held by the CM. Lakhan Lal Dewangan, responsible for Commerce and Industry and Public Sector Undertakings, will also manage Commercial Tax (Excise), which was under Sai.

Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, who is in charge of Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, and Twenty Point Implementation, has additionally taken on Backward Classes and Minorities Development, previously with Netam. The portfolios of O P Choudhary (Finance, excluding Commercial Tax - Excise, Housing and Environment, Planning, Economics and Statistics), Laxmi Rajwade (Women and Child Development, Social Welfare), and Dayaldas Baghel (Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Protection) remain unchanged.

With the cabinet now at full capacity, the Sai administration is poised to intensify its focus on education, infrastructure, and inclusive growth, while enhancing administrative efficiency across various sectors.