JAMMU, October 29, 2026 – In a major administrative restructuring following the induction of four new ministers into the Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha allocated portfolios among the eight ministers on Wednesday.
The reshuffle witnessed Chief Minister Omar Abdullah giving up the charge of several heavyweight departments that he had held since taking the oath of office over two years ago. The Chief Minister relinquished the Finance, Revenue, Power, Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs, and Planning, Development & Monitoring Departments. He will, however, retain key sectors including Tourism, Housing and Urban Development, General Administration, Hospitality & Protocol, and Estates.
A significant outcome of the reshuffle is the appointment of Javid Ahmed Dar as the new Finance Minister of the Union Territory. Dar, who will now present the upcoming UT budget in the Assembly, also retained the Agriculture Production and Cooperative Departments while gaining the Mining portfolio.
Veteran National Conference (NC) leader Ali Mohammad Sagar has been assigned the crucial Revenue, Power, and Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs departments. Sagar will also hold the charge of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DMRRR), and Elections.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary retained four of his five previous portfolios: Public Works (Roads and Buildings), Industries and Commerce, Labour and Employment, and Skill Development.
Sakeena Masood (Itoo) retained Health & Medical Education and Social Welfare, while passing on the School and Higher Education departments to newly inducted minister Shameema Firdous. Firdous was also allocated the Jal Shakti department.
Newly inducted minister Altaf Ahmad Wani (Altaf Kalloo) secured the Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, and Forest, Ecology & Environment departments. Another new face, Mir Saifullah, will head the Planning Development & Monitoring, Culture, Youth Services & Sports, and ARI & Training departments.
Javed Rana’s portfolio was also re-adjusted; he has now been assigned the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA), Tribal Affairs, and Transport departments, succeeding Satish Sharma, who was dropped from the ministry earlier this week.
Any department not explicitly allocated to the ministers will remain under the direct charge of the Chief Minister.
Published by True Roots Media Network