Bhubaneswar: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday effected a major rejig in his ministry and assigned key portfolios to three of his ministerial colleagues.

He also awarded two ministers, Sushant Singh and Prafulla Mallick, who had played a major role in the BJD's victory in the just-concluded Bijepur bypoll.

The last cabinet rejig had been made in March last year, when Naveen dropped as many as 10 ministers and inducted new faces in their places.

On Saturday, the chief minister divested the works and water resources portfolios that he had been holding for long and distributed among his two ministerial colleagues.

Housing and urban development minister Niranjan Pujari was given additional charge of the water resources department. Party insiders said the major reason for awarding the portfolio to Pujari was to expedite the irrigation projects, especially the Rs 1,200-crore Gangadhar Mehar Irrigation Project in Bargarh districts and other such projects in west Odisha. Pujari, who hails from Sonepur, is known as a stalwart from west Odisha.

Mallick, who is holding the portfolio of steel and mines, has been awarded with additional charge of the works department. Mallick was in charge of the party's electioneering in Bijepur.

Labour minister Singh, who was the driving force in Bijepur, has got the energy portfolio, which was being held by Mallick. Singh will also continue to hold the labour and employment portfolio.

Health and family welfare minister Pratap Jena was given the additional charge of information and public relations department. For the past few months, he has been looking after the party's promotional activities.

Higher education minister Ananta Das from Balasore district has been given additional charge of the industry portfolio, which was with Pujari.