Shivakumar Unveils Karnataka Cabinet Portfolios; Yathindra Siddaramaiah Gets Key Urban Development Role

Bengaluru, June 2026 : Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday completed a major step in shaping his new administration by allocating portfolios to 13 members of his Council of Ministers. The list of departmental assignments has been forwarded to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for formal notification.

The portfolio distribution reflects the Congress government’s effort to balance administrative experience with new leadership, while placing key sectors under trusted senior leaders.

One of the most notable decisions is the induction of Yathindra Siddaramaiah into the Cabinet with the influential Urban Development portfolio. It marks his first ministerial assignment and is seen as a significant political milestone in his career. The department oversees urban infrastructure and planning across the state, including the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board, Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC), urban development authorities outside Bengaluru, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA), Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), and the Town and Country Planning Commissionerate.

Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar has retained some of the government’s most crucial departments, including Finance, Cabinet Affairs, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), Intelligence, and all portfolios that remain unallocated. The move underscores his direct involvement in the state’s financial management and overall governance framework.

Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara has been entrusted with the Revenue and Sports portfolios. Having previously handled the Home Department, Parameshwara remains one of the government’s most experienced administrators.

Senior leader K. H. Muniyappa will oversee Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, while K. J. George has been assigned the Energy Department along with Tourism as an additional charge.

Industrial development and infrastructure expansion have been placed under M. B. Patil, who will head the Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure portfolio. Water Resources, one of the state’s most critical sectors, will be managed by Ramalinga Reddy through the Major and Medium Irrigation Department.

The Public Works Department (PWD) has been allocated to Satish Jarkiholi, who returns to a department he has handled in the past.

A significant urban governance responsibility has been entrusted to Krishna Byre Gowda, who will lead the Greater Bengaluru Development portfolio. His responsibilities include oversight of the Greater Bengaluru Authority, the city’s multiple municipal corporations, the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), and the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).

Meanwhile, Priyank Kharge has been given charge of Home (excluding Intelligence), Information Technology and Biotechnology, and e-Governance. The allocation places him at the centre of Karnataka’s technology-driven governance agenda.

Former Assembly Speaker U. T. Khader will head the Health and Family Welfare Department. Byrathi Suresh has been assigned Transport, while Sharan Prakash Patil will oversee Medical Education and Skill Development.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR), a key department for grassroots governance and welfare implementation, has been allocated to Eshwar Khandre, who previously handled Forest and Ecology.

The portfolio allocation comes shortly after the formation of the new Congress government and provides the first clear indication of the administration’s governance priorities. With a blend of seasoned leaders and emerging faces, the Shivakumar Cabinet is expected to focus on infrastructure development, urban expansion, industrial growth, rural welfare and technology-driven governance as it begins its tenure.