Odisha‘s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has removed Higher Education Minister Rohit Pujari from his cabinet. The Chief Minister recommended to the Governor to drop Pujari from his ministry and assigned Cooperation and Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak with the additional charge of the Higher Education portfolio.
The reason for the removal was not disclosed by the ruling party, but it may be due to the performance of the Higher Education department at the bottom of all departments during the annual review meetings.
Pujari was inducted as a Minister of State (independent charge) in June last year for the first time and served as the deputy chief whip in the Odisha Assembly from 2014 to 2022. However, he was recently dragged into a controversy due to his remarks on senior leaders over 60 years of age, stating that they should not be made MLA as they would not be able to give proper time to the constituency and people.
Patnaik’s minor reshuffle last month in the cabinet saw the induction of three new ministers. Nayak’s additional charge of the Higher Education portfolio aims to improve the department’s performance and productivity.
As Odisha remains committed to boosting the state’s education sector, the move by the Chief Minister assures that the state is set to achieve the right step towards progress.
