Atishi to get finance, revenue portfolios in Delhi govt

Atishi is set to be given additional portfolios of finance, planning, and revenue after LG VK Saxena approved a proposal for a cabinet reshuffle

Delhi minister Atishi is set to be given the additional portfolios of finance, planning and revenue after lieutenant governor VK Saxena approved a proposal moved by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for a portfolio reshuffle in his cabinet, officials in the LG office aware of the development said on Thursday.

Atishi was inducted into the Delhi cabinet in March, after former deputy chief Manish Sisodia and former health minister Satyendar Jain tendered their resignations following their imprisonment. (HT Archive)

The portfolio change will come into effect after a notification is issued.

The reshuffle led to yet another row between the Aam Aadmi Party government and the LG office —Delhi government officials alleged that the file is still pending with Saxena, but the LG’s office denied the claim.

Atishi was inducted into the Delhi cabinet in March, after former deputy chief Manish Sisodia and former health minister Satyendar Jain tendered their resignations following their imprisonment. The Kalkaji legislator was given the charge of public relations department on June 1, and also holds the power, education and tourism portfolios, amongst others.

Minister Kailash Gahlot currently holds the finance and revenue portfolios, while Gopal Rai is the development minister. With the additional portfolios of finance, planning, and revenue, Atishi will now be in charge of 12 departments.

An official in the LG office said that a notification about the cabinet reshuffle could not be issued on Thursday because it was a holiday, and is likely to be issued on Friday.

A Delhi government official hit back, alleging that the file for the portfolio reshuffle was pending with Saxena for the last four days.

The LG office rejected the claim, with the official quoted above saying, “The LG received the file on Tuesday and approved the portfolio reshuffle on Wednesday.”

However, the Delhi government official claimed that the LG was yet to give approval to the file as on Thursday. “This is to clarify that the LG has not yet given any approval to the cabinet reshuffle proposal. If at all the LG office still wishes to stand by its baseless claims, it must produce a copy of the order or any other relevant evidence to prove the same,” the official said.