UP Cabinet expansion: Former BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary gets MSME, Manoj Pandey to take charge of Food and Civil Supplies
Lucknow, May 18
Following the decision to expand the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led cabinet, the Uttar Pradesh government has finalised the portfolio allocations for the newly inducted and promoted leaders.
Among the changes announced on Sunday, former UP BJP state president Bhupendra Chaudhary has been appointed as a Cabinet Minister heading the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) department.
BJP leader Manoj Kumar Pandey has been brought into the Cabinet and handed the vital responsibility of the Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs department.
The reshuffle also brought promotions to the independent charge ministers to reinforce essential state wings. Ajit Singh Pal has taken over the Food Safety and Drug Administration department, while Somendra Tomar has been entrusted with the responsibilities of Political Pensions, Sainik Kalyan (Soldiers' Welfare), and the Prantiya Rakshak Dal.
Four newly appointed Ministers of State have been distributed across critical developmental sectors to support senior leadership. Krishna Paswan has assumed charge of Livestock and Dairy Development, and Kailash Singh Rajput takes over Energy and Additional Energy Sources. Concurrently, Surendra Diler has been assigned to the Revenue department, while Hans Raj Vishwakarma has been appointed as the minister of the MSME ministry alongside Bhupendra Chaudhary.
The Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday expanded its cabinet ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, inducting several new ministers and strengthening its administrative team.
The oath of office was administered to them by Governor Anandiben Patel.
Earlier, Krishna Paswan expressed deep gratitude toward the BJP's top brass and the state administration, pledging her full commitment to any responsibilities laid before her.
The expansion comes as the state prepares for the 2027 Legislative Assembly elections, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) aiming for a third consecutive term in power.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Nice to see Krishna Paswan ji getting Livestock and Dairy Development—UP's dairy sector has huge potential but needs modernisation. However, I hope these new ministers actually deliver results rather than just attending inaugurations. The 2027 election focus is clear but governance shouldn't be only about election prep. 🐄
Food and Civil Supplies is a crucial department—Manoj Pandey has big shoes to fill. With inflation still a concern for common people, especially in rural areas, he needs to ensure PDS reaches the poorest efficiently. Let's see if he can reduce the middlemen's role. Good luck to him!
Cabinet expansion before elections is expected but I wish they'd focus more on actual development work rather than just reshuffling portfolios. MSME, Food, and Energy are bread-and-butter issues for UP's millions. Let's hope these ministers work for all communities, not just vote bank politics. 🤔
Good to see Hans Raj Vishwakarma as MoS in MSME—Vishwakarma community has strong roots in small industries. But I'm more interested in Somendra Tomar handling Sainik Kalyan; our soldiers and their families need better welfare schemes. Hope this isn't just a ceremonial appointment. 🇮🇳
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