Uttarakhand Cabinet Expansion: Strength Restored to Maximum

In a significant move, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has reinstated the full strength of his cabinet, now reaching its constitutional maximum of 12 members. On Friday, five MLAs were sworn in as ministers at Lok Bhavan.

The new ministers include Khazan Das, Bharat Singh Chaudhary, Madan Kaushik, Pradeep Batra, and Ram Singh Kaida. These inductions follow a challenging period for the cabinet, which saw its numbers drop due to the tragic demise of Social Welfare and Transport Minister Chandan Ramdas in April 2023 and the resignation of Parliamentary Affairs and Finance Minister Prem Chand Agarwal.

This step symbolizes a renewed stability in the state governance, aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party's efforts to strengthen its administrative framework since winning its second term in 2022.