Meghalaya CM effects major reshuffle

Shillong, Feb 14 (UNI) Meghalaya Chief Minister J D Rymbai has re-allocated portfolios of eight of ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy and Home Minister Robert Garnet Lyngdoh.

The reshuffle came in the backdrop of the infighting in the Congress Legislature Party over the post of Chief Ministership.

In the reshuffle, the Chief Minister snatched away the Elementary and Mass Education portfolio from his confidant Prestone Tynsong and allocated it to Mr Donkupar Roy.

Besides Higher and Technical Education, Dr Roy will also look after Finance, Power, Law, Revenue, Elections and Border Areas Development departments.

Mr Robert Garnet Lyngdoh, who was stripped off the Tourism portfolio but retained the important portfolios Home (Police), Information&Technology and Parliamentary Affairs has been entrusted with Health&Family Welfare and Information and Public Relations portfolios.

Former Urban Affairs Minister Paul Lyngdoh, who has been relieved of this portfolio has been asked to look after the Tourism department. Mr Lyngdoh will also continue to look after the Sports&Youth Affairs besides General Administrative Department, Science&Technology and Home (Passport).

Mr Prestone Tynsong, who has been divested of Mining and Geology will continue to hold the Public Health Engineering, District Council Affairs, besides handling the Urban Affairs, including Municipal and Non Conventional Energy.

The lone woman minister Ms Irin Lyngdoh, whose portfolio of Community&Rural Development was taken away, has been allocated the Excise and Re-organisation, besides Housing, Relief and Rehabilitation, Stamps and Registration.

PWD Minister Brening A Sangma, who has been divested of the Excise portfolio, was given Arts and Culture. He will continue to look after PWD (Roads), Evaluation, Weights&Measure as well as Printing&Stationery.

Former Health and Family Welfare Minister Mr Elstone D Marak, the main loser in the reshuffle has been relieved of this portfolio as well as Information Public&Relation. However, Mr Rymbai has allocated him with Mining and Geology. He will continue to hold the Labour, Sericulture&Weaving and Communication departments.

Transport Minister Manirul Islam Sarkar, who has been divested of Reorganisation portfolio, has been allocated with Community and Rural Development portfolio. He will also continue to look after Agriculture and Horticulture departments.

UNI