Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee
Last Updated: March 15, 2023, 23:45 IST
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann gave away his portfolio of employment generation and training to the cabinet’s third-most senior minister, Aman Arora, who is the AAP MLA from Sunam. (Image: @Aman Arora/Twitter)
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann took away two key portfolios – public relations as well as housing and urban development – from senior AAP MLA Aman Arora
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann reshuffled the portfolios of five ministers on Wednesday, and has written to governor Banwarilal Purohit seeking approval for a cabinet rejig. The chief minister took away two key departments – public relations as well as housing and urban development – from senior AAP MLA Aman Arora. The decision to rejig portfolios came as the Mann-led government completed one year in office.
Mann changed the portfolios of five ministers – Arora, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Laljit Singh Bhullar, Chetan Singh Jauramajra and Anmol Gagan Mann. The CM will now keep housing and urban development, which was earlier with Arora, while public relations has been given to Jauramajra.
Arora is the third senior-most minister in the cabinet after Mann and finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema. An official communiqué sent to Purohit also proposed taking away the governance reforms portfolio from Hayer and removal of grievances from Maan. The CM has given these two portfolios to Arora, along with one of his – employment generation and training.
The sudden cabinet reshuffle is being discussed in hushed tones in power corridors. Though government sources called it routine, the reshuffle comes amid reports of tension within the government over release of money for advertisements by administrative secretaries of different departments, rather than by the public relations department.
Just a few days ago, in a sudden move, public relations secretary Rahul Bhandari was transferred, raising many an eyebrow. In the last cabinet rejig in January, when Dr Balbir Singh was inducted as a replacement for Fauja Singh Sarari, Jauramajra had to let go of the health portfolio and was given the charge of defence services welfare, food processing and horticulture in what was seen as a snub. Food processing is now proposed to be given to Bhullar, who is also the transport minister.
The Raj Bhawan has received a letter from the CM for reallocation of portfolios but the governor is yet to sign the file, following which a notification will be issued.
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Swati BhanSwati Bhan, Contributing Editor, News 18, has a journalistic career spanning over two decades. She has previously worked with The Indian Express, The …Read More
Source: www.news18.com
