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Sonowal ministry
22nd 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
Election(s)2016
Outgoing election2021
Legislature term(s)5 years
PredecessorThird Tarun Gogoi Ministry
SuccessorHimanta Biswa Sarma ministry

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.

Composition[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

Cabinet Ministers[edit | edit source]

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
 Sarbananda Sonowal24 May 201610 May 2021BJP
Minister of Finance
Minister of Health and Family Welfare
 Himanta Biswa Sarma25 May 201610 May 2021BJP
Minister of Planning and Development Himanta Biswa Sarma25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
Minister of Transformation and Development Himanta Biswa Sarma26 April 201810 May 2021BJP
Minister of Education (Higher, Secondary and Elementary) Himanta Biswa Sarma25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Siddhartha Bhattacharya26 April 201818 January 2020BJP
 Himanta Biswa Sarma18 January 202010 May 2021BJP
Minister of Agriculture
Minister of Horticulture and Food Processing
Minister of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary
 Atul Bora25 May 201610 May 2021Asom Gana Parishad
Minister of Environment and Forests Pramila Rani Brahma25 May 201626 April 2018Bodoland People's Front
 Parimal Suklabaidya26 April 201810 May 2021BJP
Minister of Soil Conservation Pramila Rani Brahma25 May 201610 May 2021Bodoland People's Front
Minister of Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes Pramila Rani Brahma25 May 201626 April 2018Bodoland People's Front
 Chandan Brahma26 April 201810 May 2021Bodoland People's Front
Minister of Mines and Minerals Pramila Rani Brahma25 May 201626 April 2018Bodoland People's Front
 Sum Ronghang26 April 20187 March 2021BJP
Minister of Water Resources
Minister of Science and Technology
Minister of Information Technology
 Keshab Mahanta25 May 201610 May 2021Asom Gana Parishad
Minister of Public Works Department Parimal Suklabaidya25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Himanta Biswa Sarma26 April 201810 May 2021BJP
Minister of Fisheries
Minister of Excise
 Parimal Suklabaidya25 May 201610 May 2021BJP
Minister of Irrigation Ranjit Dutta25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Bhabesh Kalita, MoS (I/C)26 April 201810 May 2021BJP
Minister of Handloom, Textiles and Sericulture Himanta Biswa Sarma
(Khadi and Village Industries)
25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Ranjit Dutta
(excluding Khadi and Village Industries)
25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Ranjit Dutta26 April 201810 May 2021BJP
Minister of Welfare of Minorities Sarbananda Sonowal25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Ranjit Dutta26 April 201810 May 2021BJP
Minister of Transport
Minister of Commerce and Industry
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
 Chandra Mohan Patowary25 May 201610 May 2021BJP
Minister of Skill Entrepreneurship and Employment Chandra Mohan Patowary25 May 201625 October 2016BJP
Minister of Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Development Chandra Mohan Patowary25 October 201610 May 2021BJP
Minister of Act East Policy Affairs Chandra Mohan Patowary28 July 201710 May 2021BJP
Minister of Public Health Engineering Rihon Daimary25 May 201610 May 2021Bodoland People's Front
Minister of Food
Minister of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs
 Rihon Daimary25 May 201626 April 2018Bodoland People's Front
 Phani Bhusan Choudhury26 April 201810 May 2021Asom Gana Parishad
Minister of Judicial, Legislative and Law Sarbananda Sonowal25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
Minister of Law and Justice Siddhartha Bhattacharya26 April 201810 May 2021BJP
Minister of Social Welfare Sarbananda Sonowal25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Pramila Rani Brahma26 April 201810 May 2021Bodoland People's Front
Minister of Hill Areas Development Sarbananda Sonowal25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Sum Ronghang26 April 20187 March 2021BJP
Minister of Tourism Himanta Biswa Sarma25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Chandan Brahma26 April 201810 May 2021Bodoland People's Front
Minister of Guwahati Development Department Himanta Biswa Sarma25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Siddhartha Bhattacharya26 April 201810 May 2021BJP
Minister of Co-operation Himanta Biswa Sarma25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Rihon Daimary26 April 201818 January 2020Bodoland People's Front
 Siddhartha Bhattacharya18 January 202010 May 2021BJP
Minister of Pension and Public Grievances Himanta Biswa Sarma25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Phani Bhusan Choudhury26 April 201810 May 2021Asom Gana Parishad
Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management Sarbananda Sonowal25 May 201618 January 2020BJP
 Jogen Mohan, MoS (I/C)18 January 202010 May 2021BJP
Minister of Power Sarbananda Sonowal25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Topon Kumar Gogoi, MoS (I/C)26 April 20184 June 2019BJP
 Sarbananda Sonowal4 June 201910 May 2021BJP
Minister of Urban Development Atul Bora25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Pijush Hazarika, MoS (I/C)18 January 202010 May 2021BJP
Minister of Town and Country Planning Atul Bora25 May 201618 January 2020BJP
 Pijush Hazarika, MoS (I/C)18 January 202010 May 2021BJP
Minister of Tea Tribes Welfare Pallab Lochan Das, MoS (I/C)25 May 20164 June 2019BJP
 Sarbananda Sonowal4 June 201918 January 2020BJP
 Sanjoy Kishan, MoS (I/C)18 January 202010 May 2021BJP
Minister of Labour and Employment Pallab Lochan Das, MoS (I/C)25 May 201625 October 2016BJP
Minister of Labour Welfare Pallab Lochan Das, MoS (I/C)25 October 20164 June 2019BJP
 Sarbananda Sonowal4 June 201910 May 2021BJP
Minister of Sports and Youth Welfare Naba Kumar Doley, MoS (I/C)25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Sarbananda Sonowal26 April 201810 May 2021BJP
Minister of Cultural Affairs Naba Kumar Doley, MoS (I/C)25 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Naba Kumar Doley, MoS (I/C)
(excluding Library and Archaeology)
26 April 201810 May 2021BJP
 Keshab Mahanta
(Library and Archaeology)
26 April 201810 May 2021Asom Gana Parishad
Minister of Public Enterprises Rihon Daimary18 January 202010 May 2021Bodoland People's Front

Minister of State (Independent Charge)[edit | edit source]

Portfolio Minister Took office Left office Party
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Panchayat and Rural Development Naba Kumar Doley24 May 201610 May 2021BJP

Minister of State[edit | edit source]

Portfolio Minister Took office Left office Party
Minister of State in the Department of Social Welfare Naba Kumar Doley24 May 201626 April 2018BJP
Minister of State in the Department of Power Pallab Lochan Das24 May 201626 April 2018BJP
Minister of State in the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management Pallab Lochan Das24 May 201626 April 2018BJP
 Bhabesh Kalita26 April 201818 January 2020BJP
Minister of State in the Department of Environment and Forests Naba Kumar Doley26 April 201810 May 2021BJP
Minister of State in the Department of Education Pallab Lochan Das26 April 20184 June 2019BJP
 Bhabesh Kalita18 January 202010 May 2021BJP
Minister of State in the Department of Public Works Topon Kumar Gogoi26 April 20184 June 2019BJP
 Jogen Mohan18 January 202010 May 2021BJP
Minister of State in the Department of Health and Family Welfare Topon Kumar Gogoi26 April 201810 May 2021BJP
Minister of State in the Department of Labour Welfare Sanjoy Kishan18 January 202010 May 2021BJP

References[edit | edit source]

  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".

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