In a significant development, Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Saturday effected minor reshuffle in the portfolios of his ministers.
According to the reshuffle, the MAHUD, forest and environment and climate change, science & technology, economics and statistics departments have been allocated to deputy chief minister Y Joykumar.
The reshuffle of the portfolios was effected as the municipal administration, housing & urban development, forest and environment besides the horticulture departments were running without any minister after minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar was disqualified by the Assembly speaker.
Manipur Assembly speaker’s tribunal disqualified minister Shyamkumar as a member of the Assembly in the end of last month.
Deputy chief minister Y Joykumar has been given the new responsibilities though a notification issued by state chief secretary Dr J. Suresh Babu on Saturday.
Meanwhile, chief minister N Biren Singh has kept the horticulture and soil conservation portfolio with himself along with the other portfolios.
With Saturday’s development, chief minister N Biren will be in charge of horticulture and soil conservation in addition to home, finance, transport, tourism, sericulture, minor irrigation, minority affairs OBC & SC, Personnel, Planning, GAD and other departments not allocated to others.
However, the portfolios of nine other ministers remained unchanged.
Currently, Th Biswajit is the minister in charge of power, works, rural development and panchayati raj, commerce and industries besides information and public relations department.
L Jayentakumar is the minister in charge of health and family welfare, law and legislative affairs and arts and culture while Karam Shyam holds the portfolio of consumer affairs, food & public distribution and revenue.
Letpao Haokip is the minister in charge of water resources and youth affairs and sports.
N Kayisii is the minister in charge of tribal affairs and hills while L Dikho is minister in charge of public health engineering department.
V Hangkhalian is the minister in charge of agriculture, veterinary and animal husbandry while Nemcha Kipgen is the minister in charge of social welfare and cooperation.
Th Radheshyam is the minister in charge of education, labour and employment.