The Sonowal ministry was the state ministry of Assam headed by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal from 2016 till 2021. The ministry was formed on 24 May 2016[1] on the aftermath of the 2016 legislative assembly election which resulted in the Bharatiya Janata Party emerging as the majority party.

Sonowal ministry
21st Ministry of Assam
Date formed24 May 2016
Date dissolved10 May 2021
People and organisations
Head of statePadmanabha Acharya
(until 17 August 2016)
Banwarilal Purohit
(22 August 2016 till 29 September 2017)
Jagdish Mukhi (from 10 October 2017)
Head of governmentSarbananda Sonowal
Member partiesNational Democratic Alliance
Status in legislatureCoalition
Opposition partyIndian National Congress
Opposition leaderDebabrata Saikia
History
Election2016
Outgoing election2021
Legislature term5 years
PredecessorThird Tarun Gogoi Ministry
SuccessorHimanta Biswa Sarma ministry

Composition

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At the time of its formation in May 2016, the cabinet consisted of chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, eight ministers of cabinet rank and two ministers of state (independent charge). The cabinet ministers were Himanta Biswa Sarma, Parimal Suklabaidya, Chandra Mohan Patowary and Ranjit Dutta (all from Bharatiya Janata Party), Pramila Rani Brahma and Rihon Daimary (both from Bodoland People's Front) and Atul Bora and Keshab Mahanta (from the Asom Gana Parishad). The ministers of state were Naba Kumar Doley and Pallab Lochan Das, both from BJP.

The ministry was expanded on 26 April 2018[2][3] with the induction of three cabinet ministers - Siddhartha Bhattacharya and Sum Ronghang (BJP), Phani Bhusan Choudhury (AGP) and Chandan Brahma (BPF). Three BJP MLAs were inducted as ministers of state (independent charge), namely Bhabesh Kalita, Pijush Hazarika and Topon Kumar Gogoi. Two ministers of state Pallab Lochan Das and Topon Kumar Gogoi were elected to the 17th Lok Sabha and resigned from their positions on 4 June 2019.

The cabinet was expanded on 18 January 2020 with the induction of two BJP MLAs Jogen Mohan and Sanjoy Kishan as ministers of state (independent charge). Cabinet Minister Chandan Brahma resigned from the cabinet on 7 March 2021 after joining the Indian National Congress prior to the election.

Council of Ministers

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Cabinet Ministers

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Portfolio Minister Took office Left office Party
Chief Minister and also in-charge of:
Department of Home
Department of Political
Department of Personnel
General Administration Development
Secretariat Administration Development
Department of Administrative Reforms and Training
Department of Election
Department of Information and Public Relations
Department of Border Area Development
Department of Implementation of Assam Accord
24 May 201610 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Finance
Minister of Health and Family Welfare
25 May 201610 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Planning and Development25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
Minister of Transformation and Development26 April 201810 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Education (Higher, Secondary and Elementary)25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
26 April 201818 January 2020 BJP
18 January 202010 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Agriculture
Minister of Horticulture and Food Processing
Minister of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary
25 May 201610 May 2021 AGP
Minister of Environment and Forests25 May 201626 April 2018 BPF
26 April 201810 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Soil Conservation25 May 201610 May 2021 BPF
Minister of Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes25 May 201626 April 2018 BPF
26 April 201810 May 2021 BPF
Minister of Mines and Minerals25 May 201626 April 2018 BPF
26 April 20187 March 2021 BJP
Minister of Water Resources
Minister of Science and Technology
Minister of Information Technology
25 May 201610 May 2021 AGP
Minister of Public Works Department25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
26 April 201810 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Fisheries
Minister of Excise
25 May 201610 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Irrigation25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
Bhabesh Kalita, MoS (I/C)
26 April 201810 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Handloom, Textiles and Sericulture
Himanta Biswa Sarma
(Khadi and Village Industries)
25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
Ranjit Dutta
(excluding Khadi and Village Industries)
25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
26 April 201810 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Welfare of Minorities25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
26 April 201810 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Transport
Minister of Commerce and Industry
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
25 May 201610 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Skill Entrepreneurship and Employment25 May 201625 October 2016 BJP
Minister of Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Development25 October 201610 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Act East Policy Affairs28 July 201710 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Public Health Engineering25 May 201610 May 2021 BPF
Minister of Food
Minister of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs
25 May 201626 April 2018 BPF
26 April 201810 May 2021 AGP
Minister of Judicial, Legislative and Law25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
Minister of Law and Justice26 April 201810 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Social Welfare25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
26 April 201810 May 2021 BPF
Minister of Hill Areas Development25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
26 April 20187 March 2021 BJP
Minister of Tourism25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
26 April 201810 May 2021 BPF
Minister of Guwahati Development Department25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
26 April 201810 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Co-operation25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
26 April 201818 January 2020 BPF
18 January 202010 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Pension and Public Grievances25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
26 April 201810 May 2021 AGP
Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management25 May 201618 January 2020 BJP
Jogen Mohan, MoS (I/C)
18 January 202010 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Power25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
26 April 20184 June 2019 BJP
4 June 201910 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Urban Development25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
Pijush Hazarika, MoS (I/C)
18 January 202010 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Town and Country Planning25 May 201618 January 2020 BJP
Pijush Hazarika, MoS (I/C)
18 January 202010 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Tea Tribes Welfare25 May 20164 June 2019 BJP
4 June 201918 January 2020 BJP
Sanjoy Kishan, MoS (I/C)
18 January 202010 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Labour and Employment25 May 201625 October 2016 BJP
Minister of Labour Welfare25 October 20164 June 2019 BJP
4 June 201910 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Sports and Youth Welfare
Naba Kumar Doley, MoS (I/C)
25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
26 April 201810 May 2021 BJP
Minister of Cultural Affairs
Naba Kumar Doley, MoS (I/C)
25 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
Naba Kumar Doley, MoS (I/C)
(excluding Library and Archaeology)
26 April 201810 May 2021 BJP
Keshab Mahanta
(Library and Archaeology)
26 April 201810 May 2021 AGP
Minister of Public Enterprises18 January 202010 May 2021 BPF

Minister of State (Independent Charge)

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Portfolio Minister Took office Left office Party
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Panchayat and Rural Development24 May 201610 May 2021 BJP

Minister of State

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Portfolio Minister Took office Left office Party
Minister of State in the Department of Social Welfare24 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
Minister of State in the Department of Power24 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
Minister of State in the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management24 May 201626 April 2018 BJP
26 April 201818 January 2020 BJP
Minister of State in the Department of Environment and Forests26 April 201810 May 2021 BJP
Minister of State in the Department of Education26 April 20184 June 2019 BJP
18 January 202010 May 2021 BJP
Minister of State in the Department of Public Works26 April 20184 June 2019 BJP
18 January 202010 May 2021 BJP
Minister of State in the Department of Health and Family Welfare26 April 201810 May 2021 BJP
Minister of State in the Department of Labour Welfare18 January 202010 May 2021 BJP

References

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  1. ^ "Sarbananda Sonowal's swearing-in Live: BJP's first Chief Minister in Assam | the Financial Express". Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  2. ^ "Assam CM Sonowal expands cabinet after two years, inducts seven new ministers". 26 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Assam cabinet expansion: 2 BJP MLAs sworn in as ministers".