Team Herald
PANJIM: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said he will distribute additional portfolios to his ministers after the Model Code of Conduct is lifted.
Sawant said that the code of conduct will be withdrawn, tentatively on May 27, after which development in the State will pick up pace.
The election code has been in force in the State since March 10 owing to Lok Sabha elections and by-polls in four Assembly constituencies.
Sawant was sworn in as Chief Minister when the code was in force, following demise of then CM Manohar Parrikar on March 17.
Sawant assigned portfolios to the ministers which they had been holding during the tenure of the Parrikar-led government, while assuring that more would be alloted in due course of time.
“Even if I had to distribute portfolios, then the ministers would not have been able to work as the code of conduct is in force,” he said, adding, “The additional portfolios would be distributed after code is rescinded.”
The Chief Minister said he has been going through all the portfolios, at present, to get the hang of the things. Sawant has appointed two Deputy Chief Ministers – Vijai Sardesai and Manohar Azgaonkar.
