West Bengal cabinet rejig: CM Mamata Banerjee keeps finance; retains Amit Mitra as Advisor

Months after returning to power for the third time in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced a cabinet reshuffle and changed major portfolios.

Following the cabinet rejig, Dr Amit Mitra has been Principal Chief Advisor to Mamata Banerjee and the Finance Department. 
Mitra's new appointment will be in the status of a cabinet minister. His six-month tenure as Finance Minister ended on Monday since he is not an elected member of the state Assembly. As Mitra did not contest the by-poll, his department automatically went under the Chief Minister’s control. Chandrima Bhattacharya has been appointed the Minister of State of the Finance department. 

A notification issued by the TMC government stated that Mitra will be the principal chief advisor to the chief minister and the finance department in the rank of Cabinet Minister of State. He will be entrusted with advising and aiding Banerjee and the finance department on all matters relating to the management of state finance. Mitra will also represent the state government in national and international events and meetings and committees as per the government's desire. 

Other major portfolios changes

Meanwhile, Pulak Roy has been made the new Panchayat and Rural Development Minister following the demise of Subrata Mukherjee. He is now in charge of the Public Health Engineering department.

Manas Bhuyian, who is the Minister of Water Resource Development, has been given the additional charge of the Consumer Affairs department. The portfolio was earlier entrusted to Sadhan Pande who is currently hospitalized after a prolonged illness. Further, Women and Child Development Minister Sashi Panja has been given the additional charge of the Self Help Group department

Women and Child Development Minister Sashi Panja has been given the additional charge of the Self Help Group department while Becharam Manna has been given additional charge as Minister of State of the Panchayat department. No new faces were included in the cabinet.

During the cabinet meeting,  Mamata Banerjee said, “This change is for the time being. They will be reviewed next month and further reshuffling may take place.