Amit Shah will let me know about cabinet expansion or reshuffle: CM Bommai
Bengaluru, May 4: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said Union Home Minister Amit Shah will communicate to him on BJP central leadership's decision about expansion or reshuffle of the state cabinet.
Shah was in the city on Tuesday, during which he took part in various events, and attended lunch at Bommai's official residence where he was closeted with select state BJP leaders.
"He (Shah) said, he will talk (to me), after going to Delhi," Bommai said in response to a question on what Shah has communicated to him regarding cabinet expansion or reshuffle.
Asked about speculations over a cabinet reshuffle and having Deputy Chief Ministers, he said, "It is something, I'm getting to know from you (media)."
Shah's visit to the city came amid buzz over possible changes in the leadership, and pressure to rejig or expand the cabinet, ahead of Assembly polls in 2023.
Several top BJP leaders have denied speculations about Bommai's replacement.
According to top BJP sources, Shah too is said to have asked Bommai to focus on development and election preparations, and leave the rest to the party leadership.
Amid murmurs in the BJP circles that a top-to-bottom overhaul of the cabinet cannot be ruled out, ministerial aspirants are hopeful that a decision is likely soon regarding cabinet expansion or reshuffle, amid talks that several incumbents could make way for fresh faces.
Meanwhile, the state cabinet meeting that was scheduled to be held on May 5 has been postponed to May 11.
This has given rise to speculations that the postponement may be to accommodate expansion in the state cabinet or reshuffling it, amid reports that the BJP high command is expected to arrive at a decision in this regard before May 10.
Bommai is under pressure from aspirants to expand or reshuffle his cabinet at the earliest, ahead of polls next year.
There are currently five positions vacant in the state cabinet, which has 29 ministers, including the chief minister, against the sanctioned strength of 34.
Some legislators have even been advocating a Gujarat-like overhaul of the Karnataka cabinet soon, to make way for new faces, ahead of the assembly elections.
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Govt to set up Bureau of Port Security to boost port, vessel security
New Delhi (PTI): To beef up the security infrastructure of ports, the government will set up a statutory body -- the Bureau of Port Security -- that will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information of ports and vessels, officials said on Friday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday convened a meeting for the constitution of the dedicated body, the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS), which was attended by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, and the Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, an official statement said.
Emphasising that there is a need to establish a country-wide robust port security framework, Shah directed that security measures should be implemented in a graded and risk-based manner, taking into account vulnerabilities, trade potential, location, and other relevant parameters.
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The meeting also noted that lessons learned from the maritime security framework shall be replicated in the aviation security domain, the statement said.
The new body, modelled on the lines of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), will be constituted as a statutory body under the new Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, and will work under the aegis of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), it said.
Headed by a senior IPS officer as its director general, the BoPS will be responsible for regulatory and oversight functions relating to the security of ships and port facilities.
"During the transition period of one year, the director general of shipping shall function as the director general of BoPS," the statement said.
"The BoPS will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information, with a special focus on cybersecurity, including a dedicated division to safeguard port IT infrastructure from digital threats," it said.
The government has designated the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as a recognised security organisation (RSO), responsible for undertaking security assessments and preparation of security plans for port facilities.
The Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) will train and build the capacities of private security agencies (PSAs) engaged in port security.
"These agencies shall be certified and appropriate regulatory measures shall be introduced to ensure that only the licensed PSAs operate in this sector," the statement said.
