Kerala Govt Forms First-Ever Artificial Intelligence Ministry

The move marks a significant shift in the state’s governance structure, with the AI portfolio placed under the Industries and Commerce department along with Information Technology and allied sectors.

According to the state Gazette order released on May 20, senior Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader PK Kunhalikutty has been assigned the departments of Industries and Commerce, Information Technology, and the newly created Artificial Intelligence portfolio. His responsibilities also include start-ups, mining and geology, handlooms, and textiles.

The state government officially released the notification allocating portfolios among cabinet members, with Chief Minister VD Satheesan retaining several key departments.

Chief Minister VD Satheesan will continue to oversee Finance, Kerala Financial Corporation, Ports, Law, Pollution Control, Airports, Metro Rail, and Railways, according to the official notification.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has been given charge of the Home department along with Vigilance, Fire and Rescue Services, Prisons, and Coir.

Tourism and Culture, including the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC), has been allotted to PC Vishnunadh. M Liju has been assigned Co-operation and Excise, while Roji M John will handle Collegiate Education, Technical Education, Universities (excluding specialised universities), NCC, and the Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP).

Agriculture and allied sectors have been assigned to T Siddique, while social welfare portfolios, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes development, have been allotted to K A Thulasi.

Labour, Animal Husbandry, Milk Co-operatives, and Women & Child Development will be managed by Bindhu Krishna, while Sports and Youth Affairs have gone to O J Janeesh.

General Education, Wakf, Haj Pilgrimage, and Minority Welfare have been assigned to N Samsudheen.

Panchayat and Rural Development has been given to K M Shaji, while the Public Works Department has gone to P K Basheer. Fisheries and Harbour Engineering have been allocated to VE Abdul Gafoor, Irrigation to Mons Joseph, and Food and Civil Supplies to Anoop Jacob.

Forests and Wildlife Protection has been assigned to Shibu Baby John, while Road Transport and allied services have gone to C P John.

In other key appointments, K Muraleedharan has been assigned the Health and Medical Education department, including Ayush, Drugs Control, and Devaswoms.

Sunny Joseph has been given charge of Electricity, Environment, Parliamentary Affairs, and ANERT, while AP Anilkumar will oversee Land Revenue, Survey and Land Records, and Land Reforms.

Earlier, Advocate T Asaf Ali was appointed Director General of Prosecution, while Advocate Jaju Babu, who previously served as legal advisor to former Keralam Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, was appointed Advocate General.

The decisions were announced after the first cabinet meeting of the newly formed UDF government.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) officially assumed power in Keralam on Monday, ending ten years of Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) rule.

VD Satheesan took oath as the state’s 13th Chief Minister in a packed ceremony held at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.

Soon after the swearing-in ceremony, Chief Minister Satheesan chaired his first Cabinet meeting and initiated policy measures aimed at fulfilling key election promises.