Bhattacharjees reallocates portfolios

Kolkata, May 26 (UNI) Shedding the additional burden of responsibilities, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has reallocated portfolios, giving two of his Cabinet colleagues charges for Development and Planning, and Food Processing and Horticulture departments.

The Chief Minister, who was holding nine portfolios, gave the Development and Planning portfolio to Industry and Commerce Minister Nirupam Sen while entrusting Environment Minister Mohanti Chatterjee with the responsibiliy for Food Processing and Horticulture, Left Front Committee Chairman Biman Basu today announced.

''The Development and Planning department has been given to Mr Sen to reduce the burden on the Chief Minister. This has been done also to give more thrust on Industry which Mr Sen is in charge of, ''Mr Basu told reporters.

In the previous government, Mr Sen used to look after Planning and Development as an additional charge, but it went to the Chief Minister after the seventh Left Front government was constituted on May 18.

Besides being the Chief Minister, Mr Bhattacharjee now holds additional charges for Home, Information, Science and Technology, Personnel and Administrative Affairs, Minority Development and Hill Affairs.

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