Akhilesh takes up more departments, total now 61

Lucknow, Mar 21 (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has taken charge of 11 departments in addition to the 50 portfolios already held by him. Agriculture, foreign trade, export and marketing have been taken away from Agriculture Minister Anand Singh. Akhilesh has been given additional charge of Food and Drug Authority, AYUSH, non-conventional energy sources, infrastructure, coordination, public enterprises, political pension, language, agriculture, foreign trade, transport and marketing. Mohd Azam Khan, who was initially allocated seven departments, has been given additional charge of urban integrated department. Revenue Minister Ambika Chaudhary has been given additional charge of public service administration, and Minister of State (independent charge) for small industries Bhagwat Sharan Gangwar has been given additional charge of export promotion. Akhilesh already has 50 departments, including important portfolios like Home, Power, Higher Education, Secondary Education, Excise, Industrial Development and Cooperative, with him.