BSY mulls bringing Health, Medical Education under one minister

Team Udayavani, Oct 12, 2020, 8:17 AM IST

Bengaluru: Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is mulling a minor reshuffle of portfolios in his cabinet by entrusting both the Health and Medical Education departments to one Minister, official sources said on Sunday.

The Health and Family Welfare portfolio that is currently with B Sriramulu may be given to Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar along with the one he currently holds, sources in the Chief Minister’s office said.

The change is being considered apparently to vest the overall control of Health related affairs with Sudhakar, a medical doctor, amid the COVID-19 pandemic for better coordination.

Sriramulu is likely to get the Social Welfare portfolio that Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol currently holds along with the Public Works Department. Sriramulu will also continue to hold Backward Classes Welfare department, the additional portfolio that he currently has.

Some critics have alleged lack of coordination between Sudhakar and Sriramulu during the early days of the pandemic.

Sudhakar is incharge of COVID-19 related policies, guidelines, war rooms along with the responsibility of briefing the media on related matters, while Sriramulu as Health Minister remained the head of the taskforce for the pandemic.