Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Chandigarh, July 5
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday allocated portfolios to the five newly inducted ministers and rejigged the portfolios of a few others, a day after the first Cabinet expansion of his over three-month-old government.
Among the newly inducted ministers, Chetan Singh Jouramajra has got the key Health and Family Welfare Department while Aman Arora has been given Housing and Urban Development, Information and Public Relations and New and Renewable Energy Sources.
Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar will handle Local Government, Parliamentary Affairs, Land Conservation and Water and Administrative Reforms. Anmol Gagan Maan has been allocated Tourism and Cultural Affairs while Fauja Singh will be the minister for Freedom Fighters, Defence Services Welfare, Food Processing and Horticulture.
After Health Minister Dr Vijay Singla was sacked from the Cabinet over graft charges, the department was handled by the CM himself.
In another significant development, Chief Minister Mann divested Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer of the key Education portfolio and handed it over to Harjot Bains, who also retains Mines and Geology and Jails. Hayer continues to hold Sports and Youth Affairs and Higher Education.
Bhagwant Mann still retains Home Affairs and Justice, Vigilance, Industries and Commerce, Employment Generation and Training, Civil Aviation and Personnel.
Health for Jouramajra, Hayer loses Education
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