Meghalaya CM distributes portfolios to 12 cabinet ministers

SHILLONG, MAR 9: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma assigned portfolios to his cabinet on Thursday, two days after he was sworn in for the second consecutive term.

Sangma has kept as many as ten departments with himself, including Cabinet affairs department, finance department, forests & environment department, home (political) department, planning department, mining & geology department, elections department, personnel & AR department, programme implementation & evaluation department, information technology and communication department & any portfolios not allotted to any other minister.

The council of ministers comprises 8 from the National People’s Party, two from the United Democratic Party, one each from the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Hill State People’s Democratic Party.

Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong also became the new home minister of the state even as he retained the PWD (Roads) and parliamentary affairs department from the last term.

Tynsong has also been given additional charge of  public works department (building) and district council affairs department.

Similarly, Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar has also retained urban affairs department, transport department, commerce & industries and department of prisons and correctional services that he held during the last cabinet

Alexander Laloo Hek was given animal husbandry and veterinary department, fisheries department, printing & stationery department & secretariat administration department while Dr Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh was given charge of health & family welfare department, law department, information & public relations department & agriculture and farmers’ welfare department.

Pual Lyngdoh has been given social welfare department, tourism department, arts & culture department & textile department while his party colleague in the UDP Kyrmen Shylla retained the excise department, revenue & disaster management department held in the last cabinet while also getting legal metrology department & home (passport) department.

Abu Taher has been given power department, community & rural development department & taxation department while his party colleagues – Marcuise N Marak was given public health engineering department, housing department & soil & water conservation department, Rakkam A Sangma Rakkam A Sangma to hold charge of education department, general administration department, border areas development department and Comingone Ymbon was given food civil supplies & consumers affairs department, water resources department, home (civil defense and home guards) department & cooperation department.

Meanwhile, the youngest minister in the cabinet Shakhliar Warjri will be looking after sports & youth affairs department & labour department, registration & stamps department.

By Our Reporter