Yogi Government Allocates Portfolios To New Ministers; Big Decisions Taken In UP Cabinet Meet
Yogi Government Allocates Portfolios To New Ministers; Big Decisions Taken In UP Cabinet Meet Reported By, Last Updated: May 18, 2026, 14:52 IST The UP
Yogi Government Allocates Portfolios To New Ministers; Big Decisions Taken In UP Cabinet Meet Reported By, Last Updated: May 18, 2026, 14:52 IST The UP cabinet discussed key proposals on local body polls, metro corridors and healthcare projects after the Yogi government allocated portfolios to six new ministers. Rapid Read Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. (PTI file photo) Eight days after expanding the Uttar Pradesh cabinet, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday night allocated portfolios to six newly inducted ministers and two faces, ahead of the crucial cabinet meeting held on Monday. The delayed distribution of departments triggered political reactions, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav taking a swipe at the government over the delay and the inclusion of former SP leader Manoj Pandey in the cabinet. Cabinet minister Bhupendra Chaudhary has been given charge of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) department, a portfolio earlier handled by minister Rakesh Sachan. Hansraj Vishwakarma will serve as minister of state in the same department. Another cabinet minister, Manoj Pandey, has been assigned the Food and Civil Supplies department, which was earlier under the direct control of the chief minister. Pandey had rebelled against the Samajwadi Party during the Rajya Sabha elections and voted in favour of the BJP candidate.
He was later expelled from the SP. Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ajit Singh Pal has been entrusted with the Food Safety and Drug Administration department, another portfolio that was previously held by the chief minister. Similarly, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Somendra Tomar has been allotted the Political Pension, Soldier Welfare and Provincial Guard department. Among other appointments, Krishna Paswan has been made minister of state in the Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development department, while Kailash Singh Rajput has been given charge as minister of state in the Energy and Additional Energy Sources department headed by cabinet minister A.K. Sharma. Suresh Rahi has been assigned responsibilities in the Revenue department, which also remains under the chief minister. The cabinet expansion took place on May 10, but the allocation of departments came only after eight days, leading to criticism from the opposition. Akhilesh Yadav mocked the development through a post on X, indirectly targeting Manoj Pandey and questioning the BJP’s internal coordination. Earlier this week, Akhilesh had also alleged that the delay in portfolio allocation was due to disagreements within the “double-engine government" over “commission and earnings". Meanwhile, the state cabinet meeting was held at 10:30 am on Monday at the chief minister’s residence, where around 11 proposals came up for approval.
One of the key proposals relates to the formation of an OBC Commission for conducting the three-tier panchayat elections in the state. The move follows directions from the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, which had asked the government to constitute the commission before holding local body elections. Another major proposal concerns veterinary students in the state. The government is likely to increase the monthly internship stipend for Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc & AH) students from Rs 4,000 to Rs 12,000. The move would benefit over 10,000 veterinary students studying across Uttar Pradesh. Around 2,000 to 2,500 students enrol in veterinary courses every year in the state. Chief Secretary S. P. Goyal released the cabinet meeting agenda on Sunday evening. Several infrastructure and healthcare projects are also expected to receive cabinet approval. These include the establishment of the proposed Sardar Patel Apex University in Mirzapur, a new 1,010-bed multi-speciality emergency hospital and teaching block at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow, and expansion and modernisation works at Swarup Rani Nehru Hospital in Prayagraj. The cabinet may also clear proposals linked to the Agra Metro Rail Project and the Lucknow Metro Phase-1B East-West Corridor connecting Charbagh to Vasant Kunj.
In another citizen-centric reform, the government is likely to approve the Uttar Pradesh Birth and Death Registration Rules 2026 under the amended Registration of Births and Deaths Act. Under the new system, digitally downloaded birth and death certificates from the official health department portal will be treated as legally valid documents. The certificates will carry e-signatures of authorised officers along with QR codes for verification, eliminating the need for physical signatures and seals. Applicants will also be able to download multiple copies directly from the portal. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: May 18, 2026, 14:52 IST News india Yogi Government Allocates Portfolios To New Ministers; Big Decisions Taken In UP Cabinet Meet Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
The BriefWire