DIMAPUR, July 24 - Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton was the biggest gainer in the first reshuffle carried out by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday night after formation of the People�s Democratic Alliance (PDA) Government in March last year. Rio also reshuffled portfolios of some of his advisers.
The Governor, on the advice of the Chief Minister, reallocated the portfolios of the Government among the ministers under provisions of Rule 5(1) of the Rules of Executive Business of the Government of Nagaland, said a notification issued by Cabinet Secretary Temjen Toy.
BJP Legislature Party leader Patton was given the plum Road and Bridges portfolio, divesting the lone Independent MLA Tongpang Ozukum of it, in addition to his Home portfolio. According to reports, Patton had been pushing for the portfolio for quite some time.
Ozukum was given the Housing and Mechanical portfolios. However, there was no change in membership in the 12-member Rio Cabinet.
The PDA Government comprises 19 Nationalist Democratic Progress Party legislators, 12 BJP MLAs, one JDU MLA and an Independent.
Two National People�s Party (NPP) MLAs later defected from their original party to join the Rio Government. However, a case filed by the NPP leadership against the two MLAs has been pending in the Supreme Court.
In another notification, the Cabinet Secretary said in partial modification of the Cabinet Secretariat notification dated March 22, 2018, the Chief Minister reassigned the departments to his advisers.
The notification said that this arrangement is to help utilise the vast and practical experience of the members of the Nagaland Assembly for the benefit of the public at large.
It said the advisers would render their advice on matters that are referred to them by the department concerned for their views/suggestions before the issue is put up to the minister in charge for decision.
The advisers will not be eligible for any pay, salary, emoluments, remuneration or perks/advantages of any kind from the Government of Nagaland other than what is normally admissible to them as members of the Assembly through the Assembly Secretariat, the notification added.
