Tript Bajwa gets Housing, Sarkaria Revenue

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 21

While rewarding his loyalists, Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday sprung a few surprises in  the allocation of ministries, ignoring senior Cabinet members. 

 Chief Minister's confidant Tript Rajinder Bajwa was allotted the important Housing and Urban Development portfolio. He already holds the Rural Development Department. On the other hand, Health Minister Brahm Mohindra, the seniormost minister in the Cabinet, was given the additional charge of the insignificant Removal of Grievances Department.

 The portfolios held by senior ministers Manpreet Badal and Navjot Singh Sidhu remained untouched, indicating the Rahul Gandhi factor. There was no change in the departments held by Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Charanjit Channi either.

 The Chief Minister retained the 19 departments with him, including the crucial departments of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Excise and Taxation, General Administration, Home Affairs and Personnel. He, however, unburdened himself of Housing and Urban Development Department, which was allotted to Tript Bajwa, Transport  to Aruna Chaudhary, Revenue and Mining to Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria and Food and Supplies to Bharat Bhushan Ashu. 

The latter is close to Rahul Gandhi. He and Vijay Inder Singla are the juniormost in the Cabinet. Singla has been given Public Works Department. Sunder Sham Arora, who has the backing of MP Ambika Soni, has been allotted Industries and Commerce, a department which is generally given to a senior minister.

By elevating Aruna Chaudhary and Razia Sultana to the Cabinet rank and then rewarding them with important portfolio, the CM has pleased the minorities and Dalits. Sultana, who held Public Works and Social Security departments, has now been given Higher 

Education and Water Supply and Sanitation. 

Amarinder's confidant OP  Soni has been allotted School Education. Gurpeet Kangar and Sukhjinder Randhawa, both close to PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar,  have been given Power and Cooperation, respectively. Mohali MLA Balbir Sidhu has been allotted Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development.

Portfolios of Cabinet Ministers

Capt Amarinder Singh
Administrative Reforms; Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare; Horticulture; Excise & Taxation; General Admn; Home Affairs & Justice; Legal & Legislative Affairs; Personnel; Vigilance among others.

Brahm Mohindra
Health & Family Welfare; Medical Education & Research; Parliamentary Affairs; Elections; Removal of Grievances.

Navjot Singh Sidhu
Local Government; Tourism and Cultural Affairs

Manpreet Singh Badal
Finance; Planning; Programme Implementation; Governance Reforms

Om Parkash Soni
School Education; Freedom Fighters

Sadhu Singh Dharamsot
Forests; Welfare of SCs and BCs; Printing & Stationery

Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa
Rural Development & Panchayats; Housing & Urban Development

Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi
Sports and Youth Affairs

Charanjit Singh Channi
Technical Education & Industrial Training; Employment Generation; Science & Tech

Aruna Chaudhary
Social Security; Women & Child Development; Transport

Razia Sultana
Higher Education; Water Supply & Sanitation (Public Health)

Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa
Cooperation; Jails

Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria
Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management; Water Resources; Mines & Geology

Gurpreet Singh Kangar
Power; New and Renewable Energy Sources

Balbir Singh Sidhu
Animal Husbandry; Dairy Development; Labour

Vijay Inder Singla
Public Works; Information Technology

Sunder Sham Arora
Industries & Commerce

Bharat Bhushan Ashu
Food & Civil Supplies; Consumer Affairs