Portfolios of four ministers reshuffled in Bengal Cabinet rejig

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Kolkata, Aug 7 (IANS) The Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government on Wednesday made changes in the portfolios of four state ministers, including three with Cabinet rank, after obtaining approval from Governor C.V. Ananda Bose.

Chandrima Bhattacharya, presently the Minister of State for Finance (independent charge), has been given the additional charge of environment. She will continue with her existing responsibilities as an MoS in charge of the following departments -- Health & Family Welfare, Land and Land Reforms, Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation, and Planning and Statistics.

The present Environment Minister Md. Ghulam Rabbani has been allotted the Non-conventional and Renewable Energy Sources Department.

Singer-turned-politician Babul Supriyo has been appointed to the Department of Public Enterprises and Industrial Reconstruction, while retaining his role in the Information Technology and Electronics Department.

Similarly, Manas Ranjan Bhunia has been assigned the Irrigation and Waterways Department in addition to his current role as the Water Resources Investigation Minister. The Irrigation and Waterways department was previously managed by Partha Bhowmick, who is now a Lok Sabha member from Barrackpore.

However, no announcement was made for the position of Minister of State for Correctional Services Department (independent charge), which is also vacant now following the resignation of Akhil Giri from the chair earlier this week.

Giri had to resign following instructions from the party high command after a video went viral in which he could be seen abusing a woman forest department official in East Midnapore district last week.

Sources said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is yet to finalise Giri’s replacement which she is expected to do soon.

--IANS

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