Punjab Cabinet shuffle: Sanjeev Arora gets Power dept, Harbhajan ETO left with PWD

Harbhajan Singh ETO has lost the Power department to Sanjeev Arora, a new entrant in the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Cabinet. ETO will now have only the Public Works department. Arora, who was sworn in as a minister in Punjab Cabinet last month, has been empowered by getting another portfolio. He already has the Industry and Commerce, Investment Promotion, and NRI Affairs departments. The notification regarding the re-allocation of portfolios was issued late this evening.

The Punjab Governor, on the advice of CM Mann, has changed the portfolios of the two ministers. For the past few months, there were murmurs in the corridors of power regarding impending changes in the portfolios of ministers. Even when Arora, who left his Rajya Sabha seat to contest and win the Ludhiana West byelection, was sworn in as a minister in July, the re-allocation of portfolios was expected. However, other than inducting him into the cabinet and removing Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, no other changes were made then.