The Jharkhand government has issued a notification reallocating ministerial responsibilities in view of Education Minister Ramdas Soren’s health condition. The temporary arrangement will be in effect for the duration of the ongoing Monsoon Session of the State Assembly.
As per the Cabinet Secretariat notification, Urban Development, Housing, and Higher Education Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu will now respond to all Assembly questions related to the School Education and Literacy Department, which is ordinarily held by Ramdas Soren.
Meanwhile, Minister Deepak Birua will handle legislative questions related to the Registration, Law, Information and Public Relations, and Information Technology departments. These portfolios are under Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and the reassignment is limited to responding to questions in the House.
Both ministers will continue to discharge their existing responsibilities and will additionally respond to starred, unstarred, and short-notice questions related to the departments temporarily assigned to them.
The decision comes after Minister Ramdas Soren sustained a serious injury on Saturday morning after slipping in his bathroom. He was initially admitted to Tata Motors Hospital, where doctors detected a blood clot in his brain. He was later airlifted to Delhi and is currently undergoing treatment at the Apollo Hospitals. His condition is reported to be critical.
The move ensures that ministerial accountability in the Assembly remains uninterrupted during the Monsoon Session despite Soren’s absence.