West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar with Mamata Banerjee and her cabinet ministers during the oath-taking ceremony.
KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has struck a fine balance between experience and fresh faces, packing her council of 43 ministers with eight women and seven members from the minority community.
While handpicking her team, Banerjee has had an eye on district representation. She has also undertaken some major changes in portfolio distribution, possibly based on public feedback.
Like earlier, the CM has kept for herself a few key departments such as home, Hill affairs, health and family welfare, land and land reforms, refugee relief and rehabilitation, information and culture, and north Bengal development.
West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar with Mamata Banerjee and her cabinet ministers during the oath-taking ceremony.
KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has struck a fine balance between experience and fresh faces, packing her council of 43 ministers with eight women and seven members from the minority community.
While handpicking her team, Banerjee has had an eye on district representation. She has also undertaken some major changes in portfolio distribution, possibly based on public feedback.
Like earlier, the CM has kept for herself a few key departments such as home, Hill affairs, health and family welfare, land and land reforms, refugee relief and rehabilitation, information and culture, and north Bengal development.
In TMC 3.0, Mamata retains home, health and hill affairs; Amit Mitra back as finance minister
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In TMC 3.0, Mamata retains home, health and hill affairs; Amit Mitra back as finance ministerET Bureau
Last Updated: May 10, 2021, 07:44 PM IST
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Synopsis
Banerjee will also be in charge of land and land reforms, information and cultural affairs and development of North Bengal –– the only region the party lost to the BJP. She has picked Sabina Yasmin, a young MLA from Malda, to assist her as an MoS to look after the affairs of North Bengal.
Agencies
Party sources said the portfolios were decided at the first cabinet meeting of the government held at the state secretariat.
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers.
Three TMC leaders Amit Mitra, Bratya Basu, and Rathin Ghosh were sworn in virtually. Mitra is unwell and both Basu and Ghosh are recuperating from Covid-19.
Those who were sworn in include 24 cabinet ministers and 10 ministers of state (independent charge).
Eight women were sworn in, and with the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the total number of women has increased to nine.
The portfolios were decided at the first cabinet meeting of the government at the state secretariat.
The chief minister retained the portfolios of Home and Hill Affairs, Personnel and Administration, Health and Family Welfare, Land and Land Reforms and Refugee and Rehabilitation, and the Information and cultural affairs and North Bengal Development.