Sarma ministry explained

Cabinet Type:	Ministry
Cabinet Number:	22nd
Jurisdiction:	Assam
Flag Border:	true
Date Formed:	10 May 2021
Government Head:	Himanta Biswa Sarma
State Head:	Jagdish Mukhi (until 20 February 2023) Gulab Chand Kataria (from 22 February 2023 until 31 July 2024) Lakshaman Acharya (from 31 July 2024)
Legislature Status:	Coalition
Opposition Party:	Indian National Congress
Opposition Leader:	Debabrata Saikia
Election:	2021
Legislature Term:	5 years
Previous:	Sarbananda Sonowal ministry

The Sarma ministry is the current council of ministers of the Government of Assam which has been in office since 10 May 2021. The ministry is headed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and consists of 16 cabinet ministers. The chief minister and 14 other ministers were sworn-in into office by Governor Jagdish Mukhi on 10 May 2021.

Background

See main article: 2021 Assam Legislative Assembly election.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with its allies, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) contested the election to the Assam Legislative Assembly and won 75 seats with the BJP itself winning in 60 seats, the AGP in 9 and the UPPL in 6 seats. The opposition led by Indian National Congress won 50 seats and an independent candidate won a seat.

After the election results were out on 2 May 2021, it was widely speculated that incumbent chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal could be re-appointed for a second term in office while his senior ministerial colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma was too a forerunner. Eventually, BJP observers- Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and National General Secretary Arun Singh held meetings with the newly elected BJP legislators and the other legislators from the alliance parties and unanimously elected Himanta Biswa Sarma as the leader of the legislative party and hence as the chief minister.^[1] Outgoing chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal tendered his resignation to the Governor Jagdish Mukhi on 9 May 2021 paving way for Sarma to be sworn-in the next day.

Sarma was eventually sworn-in as the state's 15th Chief Minister on 10 May 2021 along with the 14 other cabinet ministers^[2] who were all administered oath by the governor. Among attendees included BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda, outgoing Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Ministers Biplab Deb of Tripura, Conrad Sangma of Meghalaya, N. Biren Singh of Manipur and Neiphiu Rio of Nagaland.

Sarbananda Sonowal was inducted into the union council of ministers on 7 July 2021 and was appointed as the Union Cabinet Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and AYUSH. He resigned as a member of the Assam Legislative Assembly on 29 September 2021 after being elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha for Assam.

Composition

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was sworn-in along with 13 other ministers which included 10 BJP legislators, namely Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Chandra Mohan Patowary, Parimal Suklabaidya, Ranoj Pegu, Ashok Singhal, Jogen Mohan, Sanjoy Kishan, Ajanta Neog, Pijush Hazarika and Bimal Bora; 2 AGP legislators namely Atul Bora and Keshab Mahanta and one UPPL legislator Urkhao Gwra Brahma. Patowary, Suklabaidya, Bora and Mahanta were cabinets in the outgoing government while Hazarika, Mohan and Kishan were ministers of state (independent charge). The chief minister himself along with his colleague Ajanta Neog served as ministers under the Congress government of Tarun Gogoi while Pijush Hazarika was a parliamentary secretary.

The ministry was expanded on 9 June 2022 with the induction of two BJP legislators Nandita Garlosa and Jayanta Malla Baruah as cabinet ministers.

Changes

On 20 July 2021, the Department of Urban Development and the Department of Guwahati Development were merged together to form the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs.^[3]
On 30 July 2021, the Department of Indigenous Faith and Culture was created.^[4]
On 5 May 2022, the Department of Health and Family Welfare was bifurcated into two separate departments, namely, the Department of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Medical Education and Research.^[5]
On 8 June 2022, the following departments were created:
- The Directorate of Women and Child Development under Social Welfare Department was separated and the Department of Women and Child Development was formed.
- The Directorate of Social Justice and Empowerment under Social Welfare Department was separated and the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment was formed.
- The Department of Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes Department was renamed into the Department of Tribal Affairs (Plains), while the Directorate of Welfare of Scheduled Castes was placed under the newly created department of social justice and empowerment.
A cabinet reshuffle took place on 9 June 2022. Two ministers - Nandita Garlosa and Jayanta Malla Baruah, both of BJP were inducted and portfolios of several ministers were changed.
A minor cabinet reshuffle took place on 23 May 2023 in which the portfolios of ministers Nandita Garlosa and Jogen Mohan were changed.
On 18 June 2024, resignation of Minister Parimal Suklabaidya was accepted and a minor reshuffle took place. Health and Family Welfare Minister Keshab Mahanta was assigned the portfolio of Transport and relieved of the health department which was taken over by the chief minister.

Notes and References

Web site: 2021-05-09. Himanta Biswa Sarma chosen as next CM of Assam, to assume charge tomorrow. 2021-05-09. Hindustan Times. en.
Web site: Assam gets a new Cabinet under Himanta Biswa Sarma, check list of all ministers. 11 May 2021 .
Web site: History of Department of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Web site: Notification-AR/38/2021/34- Creation of Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture Department. 30 July 2021.
Web site: Assam Health Department bifurcated. 6 May 2022. Pratidin Time.