Nitish Kumar allocates portfolios of new depts among ministers, keeps Civil Aviation with himself

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has allocated portfolios of newly created departments among ministers, keeping Civil Aviation with himself, an official notification said.

The Bihar cabinet on December 9 approved proposals to create three new departments -- Youth, Employment and Skill Development Department, Higher Education Department and the Civil Aviation Department -- and changed the names of three other departments.

The Animal and Fisheries Resource Department was renamed as Dairy, Fisheries and Animal Resources Department; the Labour Resources Department as Labour Resources and Migrant Workers Welfare Department, and Art, Culture and Youth Department as Art and Culture Department.

According to the notification, issued on December 12, the CM allocated the portfolio of Youth, Employment and Skill Development Department to Sanjay Singh 'Tiger', who is holding the portfolio of Labour Resources and Migrant Workers Welfare Department.

State Education Minister Sunil Kumar has been given the portfolio of the newly created Higher Education Department. The CM has kept the Civil Aviation Department with himself, the notification said.

The CM had recently announced on X the state government's decision to create three new departments.

"We have set a target to provide jobs to one crore youth over the next five years (2025-30). For this, it's essential that more youth be trained for skill development. Instructions have been given to create three new departments: Youth, Employment and Skill Development Department, Higher Education Department, and Civil Aviation Department," the CM had said.

On the need for a dedicated Higher Education Department, Kumar had said its objective was to "bring about qualitative improvement in learning, promote research and innovation, develop technical and vocational education, and ensure that youth from all sections of society receive quality employment-oriented education".

On the Civil Aviation Department, the CM had written, "All of you know that the construction of several new airports is underway in the state, and in the future, under the UDAN scheme, construction of many new airports has been proposed. The creation of the Civil Aviation Department will accelerate this, enhance the industrial environment, create employment opportunities, and help in the export of products manufactured in the state".