Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Thursday allocated portfolios to the ministers in his cabinet and kept the charge of 12 departments, including Finance, Home (Political), Planning, Investment Promotion and Sustainable Development Department, Mining and Geology Department, Information Technology and Communication Department & any portfolios not allotted to any other ministers.
The allocation of portfolios came two days after the National People’s Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA 2.0) government was installed on Tuesday following the just concluded Assembly polls.
The MDA 2.0 has the support of Bharatiya Janata Party and three regional parties and two independents MLAs.
Sangma allocated the Home (Police,) Public Works Department (Roads and Building,) District Council Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs to Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong.
Senior NPP legislator Sniawbhalang Dhar, who has been elevated to Deputy Chief Minister has been allotted the Urban Affairs, Transport, Commerce and Industries, Prisons and Correctional Services.
Lone woman cabinet minister and NPP legislator, Dr. Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh has been given the tasked to look after the Health and Family Welfare department. Lyngdoh, who switched from the Congress to the National People’s Party before the elections, was also allotted the Law, Information and Public Relations, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare department.
Former Assembly Speaker, Abu Taher Mondol, who also switched from the Congress, was allotted the Power department, apart from the Community and Rural and Taxation department.
Mondol is a senior politician and has held the Power portfolio earlier.
United Democratic Party (UDP) legislator, Kyrmen Shylla, who was part of the cabinet in the last Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, retained the Revenue and Disaster Management department.
Shylla was allotted the Excise, Legal Metrology and Home (passport) departments.
Veteran UDP legislator, Paul Lyngdoh who is making a comeback into the cabinet after five years, was allotted the key Tourism, Social Welfare, Arts and Culture and Textile departments.
Senior BJP legislator and cabinet minister, Alexander Laloo Hek was allotted Animal Husbandry
and Veterinary, Fisheries, Printing and Stationery and Secretariat department.
First-time minister, Marcuise N Marak from the NPP was allotted the vital Public Health Engineering, Housing, Soil and Water Conservation departments.
The vital Education department, General Administration department and
Border Areas Development department was allotted to allotted to Rakkam A Sangma, who retained his assembly for the straight two consecutive term from Rongra-Siju assembly constituency in South Garo Hills district, bordering Bangladesh. Rakkam is an NPP legislator.
Another newcomer in the cabinet, Shakliar Warjri of the Hill State People’s Democratic Party, was allotted the Sports and Youth Affairs, Labour, Registration and Stamps departments.
