Chandigarh, October 20
A former economics teacher and Education Minister, Dr Upinderjit Kaur, was today allocated the Finance portfolio following the exit of Manpreet Singh Badal in a Cabinet reshuffle which saw Public Relations Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan being given the Education Ministry and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal Information and Public Relations.

State Governor Shivraj Patil approved the reshuffle on the advice of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today, according to an official spokesman.

Following the reshuffle, Dr Upinderjit Kaur will now hold the charge of Planning and Programme Implementation in addition to her existing portfolio of Vigilance and Justice.

The Deputy Chief Minister will hold the portfolio of Information and Public Relations Department in addition to Home Affairs, (Home Affairs, Civil Defence and Wakf), Water Supply and Sanitation, Sport and Youth Services and Non-Conventional Energy.

Sewa Singh Sekhwan now gets the Education Department. The charge of NRI Affairs, Defence Services Welfare, Removal of Grievances and Pension and Welfare of Pensioners held by Sekhwan and Civil Aviation held by Dr Upinderjit will now be looked after by the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister has, however, still kept the Cooperation Ministry, which fell vacant following the death of Capt Kanwaljit Singh in a road accident, with himself. This as well as vacancies of two Chief Parliamentary Secretaries could be filled at a later date. Political sources claim the Chief Minister has ironed out pending issues in his Council of Ministers by the present reshuffle.

Though Dr Upinderjit Kaur is rated as one of the most capable ministers who has done wonders for the Education Department, ongoing agitations against her by various self-styled unions of unemployed youth, may have forced the government to ease the pressure on her. Dr Upinderjit is also rated to be the best replacement for Manpreet Badal because she had taught economics at Punjabi University, Patiala, and could provide the right leadership in her new role.

In case of Sewa Singh Sekhwan, the government seems to have exited a minister from the Public Relations Department who was an indifferent performer. The minister has been practically sitting on things. Recruitment of public relation officers has been delayed; the membership of the accreditation committee not finalised despite representations and the Punmedia society, which was to take out magazines in English and Punjabi, still not taken off.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, who is known to take quick and firm decisions, is likely to get things going in the Public Relations Department, which the government feels is the need of the hour with Assembly elections due in one and a half years time.