Odisha: New ministers to be sworn-in on Monday

Bhubaneswar: New ministers will be inducted into the Odisha cabinet on Monday, with Governor Ganeshi Lal scheduled to administer the oath to them at a ceremony here at 10 am, officials said.

Bhanjanagar MLA Bikram Keshari Arukha, who resigned as the speaker of the assembly last week, and Rourkela MLA Sarada Prasad Nayak and Bangiriposi legislator Sudam Marandi will be inducted into the cabinet.

The governor, who was on a private visit to his home state of Haryana, returned to Bhubaneswar on Sunday, a day ahead of the scheduled event.

The ceremony will be held at the convention centre of the Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar around 10 am, according to the invitation sent to the press, including PTI, by the Chief Secretary's Office.

Last week, School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash and Labour Minister Srikant Sahu resigned. No appointment was also made in place of Health Minister Naba Kishore Das, who was assassinated in January.

Odisha's cabinet can have 22 ministers, including the CM, but at present it has 19 ministers.

The additional charge of School and Mass Education, and Labour Departments was given to Revenue Minister Pramila Mallick. Earlier, Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari was given the additional charge of the Health and Family Welfare Department.