By IANS
Bhubaneswar : Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reshuffled his cabinet Tuesday inducting three more ministers, officials said.
The new entrants in the rank of ministers of state are Pradeep Amat, Sanatan Bisi and Pradipta Naik. While Amat and Bisi belong to Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Naik is a member of alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Amat and Bisi have been inducted into the ministry for the first time.
Naik resigned as state labour minister in April 2006 following allegations that he had not disclosed facts regarding criminal cases against him in the nomination paper during the 2004 assembly elections.
Subsequently, the charges against him were dropped by a court.
Two existing ministers of state, Duryodhan Majhi and Debi Prasad Mishra were promoted to cabinet rank.
The department allotted to Amat is steel and mines while Bisi got health and family welfare (independent charge) and Pradeep Naik labour and employment.
Majhi has been given planning and coordination and science and technology and Mishra given excise and tourism.
Orissa Governor M.C. Bhandare administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers at the Raj Bhaban in the presence of ministers and officials.
The chief minister has also made minor reshuffle in the department of one existing minister. The minister of state Panchayati Raj, Sanjeev Sahu, has been made state’s new school and mass education department minister.