Reshuffle in SPF govt; CM in charge of TD & hills
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 08 2011:
The work charge of Youth Affairs and Sports has been removed from minister N Biren and allocated to minister DD Thaisii as Chief Minister O Ibobi made a minor reshuffle barely three months after the last major reshuffle which took place on January 12 .
The reshuffle comes after the CM called on Governor Gurbachan Jagat this afternoon and made reallocation of portfolios of cabinet ministers, N Biren, DD Thaisii and Phungzathang Tonsing leaving un-touched the portfolios of the other eight cabinet ministers.
N Biren will now look after the charge of IFCD and CAF&PD (Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution) .
Interestingly, it seems that minister DD Thaisii, who had been protesting against the allocation of the Education portfolio to him, has been appeased with the portfolio of YAS over and above his previous charge of Education.
Thaisii will now be the minister in-charge of Education and YAS.
It may be recalled that discontent with the allocation of Education to him, minister DD Thaisii had even threatened to resign by sending a resignation letter to MPCC president Gaikhangam.
The matter had remained unsolved for the last three months.
The Tribal Development portfolio has been relieved from minister Phungzathang Tonsing and he has been allocated charge of Science & Technology, which was previously under the charge of Thaisii.
The CM has taken charge of Tribal Development.
The non-allocation of TD to any minister, may be conclusive evidence that there is no contention in the allocation of the portfolio.
Phungzathang will now be the minister for Power, Science & Technology and Horticulture & Soil Conservation.
Today's reshuffle is the third reshuffle, Ibobi has made of his council of ministers since the SPF came into power in 2007 for its second stint.
Since no ministers were dropped to induct new faces, the reshuffle might have disappointed some Congress MLAs whose hopes were still alive until the announcement of the reshuffle late today.
The current term of the SPF government is due to end by the early part of 2012 .
The current portfolios of other ministers are, Y Erabot- Commerce & Industries, Sericulture, and Printing & Stationery, N Loken�Veterinary & Animal Husbandry, Social Welfare and Minor Irrigation), Ph Parijat�Agriculture, CADA, and Labour & Employment, L Jayentakumar - Health & Family Welfare and Co-operation, K Ranjit - Works and Transport, Th Debendra Singh � Revenue, Forest & Environment, Law and Legislative Affairs and GAD, TN Haokip � PHED, IPR and Tourism, and Md Alauddin Khan-RD&PR, MOBC and Fisheries.
The Governor effected the reshuffle on the advice of the Chief Minister following which a notification was issued by Chief Secretary, DS Poonia.