Day after cabinet reshuffle: Ministers take charge at new offices on Dhanteras

Deputy Chief Minister and former Minister of State for Home, Harsh Sanghavi, entered his new office on Saturday between 12:15 pm and 12:30 pm, after holy rituals. Sanghavi told The Indian Express that he first offered prayers to a photo of Bharat Mata, Lord Ganesh, and a family deity. Sanghavi, elevated from a Minister of State to Cabinet rank, who has also been given multiple portfolios, including the entire Home portfolio, will move from Swarnim Sankul 2 where junior ministers sit, to Swarnim Sankul 1, occupying the chamber earlier belonging to Cabinet minister Rushikesh Patel.

“After taking charge, I first of all called a meeting with all the ministers of state and instructed them how to work and remain among the public on the ground”, the Deputy CM said.

A government statement quoted him as saying, “I have got the opportunity to take charge as a colleague in the team of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel”.

Within hours of taking charge Sanghavi announced doubling of the festival allowance for all the over 36,000 employees of the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) who will now get Rs 10,000 as festival advance instead of Rs 5,000 that was given to the fixed pay employees.

Rushikesh Patel, who has been assigned energy and petrochemicals besides other portfolios, moves to the chamber vacated by Balwantsinh Rajput, the former industries minister. Patel told The Indian Express that he left for his constituency of Visnagar soon after taking charge.
Minister of State for Primary, Secondary and Adult Education, Rivaba Jadeja, also took charge in SS 2 after performing puja rituals in presence of her husband Ravindra Jadeja and daughter Nidhyana.

Gandevi seat MLA and minister of state for tribal development Naresh Patel took a photo of his late mother Moghriben as he entered the new chamber symbolically seeking her blessings. Patel said, “Everybody carries photos of their deity, or photos of God and Goddesses. I entered my new office with a photo of my mother who is my God. I loved her a lot and have great respect. She had devoted her life to her children, and I am grateful to her.”

He added, “This is my second chance of becoming a state cabinet minister. Before entering the office, I first carried out a puja, and I entered the office at 9 am on Saturday and returned to my constituency in Navsari by afternoon.”

According to sources, Cabinet minister for social justice and empowerment Pradyuman Vaja, said sources, began his day by first visiting the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar before he took charge in SS 1. Vaja, who was elected from the Scheduled Caste reserved seat of Kodinar, is among the most educated in the current Patel team and holds a Doctor of Medicine degree.

Minister of state for sports Dr Jayram Gamit took a tour of the Sports Authority of Gujarat premises on his first day while minister of state for law and justice Kaushik Vekariya stressed on expediting cases being tried under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO), the Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances(NDPS) act and the cases pending with the Waqf tribunal and board.

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