M A I N   N E W S

Virbhadra retains key portfolios
Stokes gets Power, Technology
Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 7
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today allotted portfolios to the 15 cabinet ministers but retained some important one’s, including Public Works Department, Home, Finance, General Administration and Personnel.

It was a difficult job as more than one minister were keen to have a particular portfolio. Factional pressure had also made the allocation of portfolios onerous task and the list kept changing till the last minute.

Interestingly, while some of the ministers assumed charge in the morning and talked to media persons about their plans and priorities, others maintained that the portfolios had not been finalised.

The final notification of the portfolios was delayed as some of the ministers were not satisfied with the portfolios allotted to them. Mr Kaul Singh was unhappy with the Excise and Taxation portfolio allocated to him initially. However, in the final notification he was assigned Irrigation and Public Health and Parliamentary Affairs. The Excise and Taxation portfolio was finally allotted to Mr Rangila Ram Rao.

Mrs Vidya Stokes, number two in the Cabinet, has been allocated the important portfolio of Multipurpose Projects and Power along with Science and Technology while Mr Sat Mahajan has been given the charge of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Labour and Employment.

Mr Chander Kumar has been given Forest, Mrs Chandresh Kumari, Health, Mr Ram Lal Thakur, Industries, Information Technology, Youth Services and Sports, Mrs Asha Kumari, Education, Mr B.B. Butail, Revenue, Mr Raj Krishan Gaur, Agriculture, Major Vijay Mankotia, Tourism, Mr Kuldeep Kumar, Cooperation, Mr Singhi Ram, Food and Civil Supplies, Mr Harsh Mahajan, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, and Mr G.S. Bali, Transport.

Mr Mukesh Agnihottari, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, has been attached to the Chief Minister for the Department of Housing.