Lapang allocates portfolios to ministers

Shillong, Mar 11 (UNI) Meghalaya Chief Minister Donwa Dethwelson Lapang today announced the allocation of portfolios among his 11 cabinet colleagues after taking over the office from his predecessor J D Rymbai.

Mr Rymbai, who was defiant for the past five days to Congress president Sonia Gandhi's directive to step down, yesterday put in his paper paving way for Mr Lapang to take over as the Chief Minister.

Mr Lapang has retained portfolios of Cabinet Affairs, Home (Police), Personnel, Political, Taxation, Revenue, District Council Affairs and other departments not allocated to any ministers, state Chief Secretary S K Tewari said.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy will hold charge of Finance, Law, Border Areas Development including Border Trade- all of which he was in charge during JD Rymbai regime. He has also given charge of some additional departments like Housing, Administrative Reforms and Communication.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr Mukul Manda Sangma has been given the Department of Planning, Programme Implementation, Information and Public Relation, Reorganisation and Power including Non-Conventional Energy.

Martle N Mukhim has retained portfolios of Forest and Environment, Social Welfare, Soil and Water Conservation - all of which he had held in Rymbai cabinet. Besides, Mukhim has also given charge of new Food and Civil Supplies and Public Works Department (Building).

Paul Lyngdoh, president of the third ally of the ruling coalition, will hold charge of Urban and Municipal Administration, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Science and Technology, Stamps and Registration.

Former Home Minister in the Rymbai cabinet, Mr Robert Garnet Lyngdoh has retained the Parliamentary Affairs and Information Technology.

He has been assigned with the new charge of Higher and Technical Education and Home (Passport).

Prestone Tynsong, who holds Public Health Engineering and General Administration Department in the Rymbai cabinet, has also been given the new charge of Civil Defence and Home Guard besides Relief and Rehabilitation.

Another Minister in the previous government, Manirul Islam Sarkar also retained the Department of Agriculture and Horticulture.

Besides that, he was given the additional charge of Irrigation, Sericulture and Weaving and Fisheries.

Deborah C Mark, the lone woman in the Lapang cabinet, will hold the charge of Health and Family Welfare, Transport, Arts and Culture, Labour and Evaluation.

Zenith Manda Sangma, brother of Dr Sangma, has been allocated with the Public Works Department (Roads), Elementary and Mass Education, Sports and Youth Affairs and Secretarial Administration Department.

Charles Pyngrope, a known Rymbai loyalist, was given the Department of Community and Rural Development, Cooperation, Tourism and Home (Jail).

Nehlang Lyngdoh, who was also made a cabinet minister, was given the charge of Industries, Mining and Geology, Weights and Measures.

UNI