WB Cabinet Reshuffle: CM Mamata Keeps Finance Portfolio, Amit Mitra Made Principal Chief Advisor

Amit Mitra will be the principal chief advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the finance department in the rank of Cabinet Minister of State

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New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday reshuffled the state cabinet after the demise of state Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee and the withdrawal of Finance Minister Amit Mitra.

The West Bengal Chief Minister has kept the finance portfolio to herself and Pulak Roy has been given the additional charge of panchayat department along with public health engineering, news agency IANS reported.

Meanwhile, Amit Mitra, who had informed his inability to continue as the state’s Finance Minister, has been made advisor to the Chief Minister with the status of full-fledged minister.

The rejig comes as the six-month tenure of the former Finance Minister came to end after he decided not to contest in the elections. 

The department, now under the direct control of CM Mamata Banerjee, will get an additional Minister of State in Chandrima Bhattacharya, who will assist in handling the financial responsibilities, reported IANS.

A notification issued by the state government stated that Amit Mitra, an accomplished economist and former Cabinet minister, will be the principal chief advisor to the Chief Minister and the finance department in the rank of Cabinet Minister of State, with responsibilities of advising and aiding the Chief Minister and the finance department on all matters relating to the management of state finance.

In addition to this, he will represent the state government in national and international events and meetings and committees as per the desire of the state government. Mitra will also examine important proposals and files and policy issues relating to all financial matters, which are referred to him for advice and views, it was informed.

Speaking to the media after the Cabinet meeting in the Assembly on Tuesday, state Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee said, “After the demise of Subrata Mukherjee, Pulak Roy has been appointed as the new Panchayat and Rural Development Minister”, IANS reported.

Pulak Roy is currently heading the Public Health Engineering department.

Besides this, the consumer affairs department, which was being overseen by Sadhan Pande currently hospitalised due to a prolonged illness, has been allocated to Water Resource Development Minister Manas Bhuyian as an additional charge.

Women and Child Development Minister Sashi Panja now has the additional charge of self-help group department, while Becharam Manna will take additional responsibility as Minister of State for Panchayat.

(With Agency Inputs)