Hospital fire: Pradip Kumar Amat appointed new Odisha Health Minister

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Finance Minister Pradip Kumar Amat has been given additional charge of the Health and Welfare department after Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak tendered his resignation on moral grounds in the wake of the hospital fire tragedy.

A release from the Chief Minister's Office said that the Information and Public Relations portfolio, which was held by Nayak, has been assigned to Forest and Environment minister Bikram Keshari Arukha.

Arukha, considered as the strong man from Ganjam, the home district of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, already holds the Parliamentary Affairs portfolio.

Both Amat and Arukha are senior ministers in the Naveen Patnaik Cabinet.

Amat, a seasoned politician, has earlier been in charge of many important ministries besides being Speaker of the Odisha Assembly.

Patnaik announced the change in portfolio hours after Nayak tendered his resignation as the Health minister last night.