Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, who took oath as CM on 27 December with his cabinet, on Friday allotted portfolios to all the eleven ministers, while retaining finance, home, personnel and general administration.
Earlier in the day, Jai Ram Thakur flew to New Delhi, along with the Himachal BJP president Satpal Singh Satti to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah and other senior BJP leaders.
The portfolios were decided after consultation and approval of the party high command.
As per approval by Himachal Governor Acharya Devvrat, Himachal CM has also kept Public Works Department and Tourism portfolios, while senior most minister and seven-time MLA from Dharampur, Mahender Singh has got Irrigation and Public Health besides Horticulture and Sainik Welfare departments.
Kishan Kapoor from Dharamshala is minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Elections.
Four-time MLA from Shimla, but a first timer in cabinet, Suresh Bhardwaj has been given Education, Parliamentary Affairs, Law and Legal Affairs.
Anil Sharma (who was a minister in the previous Congress government) from Mandi has been given Power and Multipurpose Projects and Non Conventional Energy Resources, while the only woman minister, Sarveen Chaudhary from Shahpur is now Urban Development, Town and Country Planning and Housing minister.
Tribal minister Ram Lal Markanda has been given Agriculture, Information Technology and Tribal Affairs.
Vipin Parmar, a first time minister, has got Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, Ayurveda, Science and Technology.
Virender Kanwar is minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries.
Vikram Singh has been given Industries, Labour and Employment, Technical Education, Vocational and Industrial Trainings.
Govind Singh Thakur has been given portfolios of Forests, Transport and Youth Services and Sports, while Rajiv Saizal has been made minister of Social Justice and Empowerment besides minister for Department of Cooperation.