Ministry expansion finally effected
Ukhrul and Chandel draw blank, former Ministers given shortshrift
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, April 28 2012: At long last, the much awaited Ministry expansion of the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh led Congress Government, after he was sworn in on March 14 last and three Cabinet Ministers were inducted on March 16 last, was effected along with induction of eight more Cabinet Ministers today.

Governor Gurbachan Jagat administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly inducted eight Cabinet Ministers during an impressive swearing in ceremony held at the banquet hall of Raj Bhavan here at around 4 pm today.

The eight MLAs have been newly inducted as Cabinet Ministers are MLA of Singjamei A/C Irengbam Hemochandra, MLA of Bishnupur A/C Govindas Konthoujam, Heirok A/C Moirangthem Oken, MLA of Saitu A/C Ngamthang Haokip, MLA of Tadubi A/C Francis Ngajokpa, MLA of Mayang Imphal A/C Dr Khumujam Ratankumar, MLA of Patsoi A/C Kumari Akoijam Mirabai and MLA of Lilong A/C Md Abdul Nasir.

Dr Ratankumar and Kumari Mirabai took the oath in Meeteilon while the remaining MLAs in English.

Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, Home Minister Gaikhangam, Cabinet Ministers Thoudam Debendra and Phungzathang Tonsing, Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly Th LOkeshwar, former Works Minister and MLA of Sugnu A/C K Ranjit, other MLAs of Ruling and Opposition, Chief Secretary DS Poonia, top civil and police officers, senior citizens, etc were present during the swearing in ceremony.

However, former Ministers like Yumkham Erabot, Nongthombam Biren, Kshetri Biren and Nameirakpam Loken were conspicuous by their absence during the ceremony. In the third and last Ministry expansion, which was effected today, no one has been inducted from Ukhrul and Chandel district.

In Ukhrul district which has three Assembly seats, there are two elected Congress MLAs and in Chandel district, which has two Assembly seats, there is one elected Congress MLA.

No MLA has also been inducted in the Ministry expansion today from Imphal East district.

However, Th Debendra of Jiribam A/C, which is under Imphal East district had already been inducted in the Ministry in the last expansion.

In the present Ministry, Bishnupur, Tamenglong and Churachandpur have one Minister each, Senapati district has two Ministers and Thoubal as well as Imphal West have three Ministers each.

Though Dr Ratankumar was also an MLA in the last term, it is for the first time that he has been inducted in the Ministry.

On the other hand, Kumari Mirabai and Md Abdul Nazir have been inducted in the Ministry, though elected for the first time.

The portfolios allotted to the Ministers in the ruling Congress Government are Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh ( DP, Finance, Power, MAHUD, MI, Sc & Technology, Tourism and all other departments which are not allocated to any other Minister); Gaikhangam (Home, Horticulture, Soil Conservation and Tribal Affairs & Hills), Th Debendra Singh (Revenue, Law & Legislative Affairs and Forest & Environment), Phungzathang Tonsing (Health & Family Welfare, GAD and CADA), I Hemochandra Singh (PHED and Labour & Employment), Govindas Konthoujam (Commerce and Industries, Sericulture and Veterinary & Animal Husbandry), M Okendro Singh (Education and CAF & PD), Ngamthang Haokip (IFCD and Printing & Stationary), Francis Ngajokpa (Rural Development & Panchayati Raj and Economics & Statistics), Dr Kh Ratankumar (Works and Transport), AK Mirabai Devi ( Social Welfare and Co-operation) and Md Abdul Nasir (Agriculture and Fisheries) .

Talking to reporters after the swearing in ceremony, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh observed that Imphal East and Imphal West are situated within walkable distance and pointed out that in the previous term, there were five Ministers from Imphal East and only one Minister from Imphal West.

At that time, no one said anything.

In connection Ukhrul and Chandel district drawing blank in the Ministry, Ibobi noted that Ukhrul and Chandel are very two important districts but no one could not be inducted in the Ministry due to certain difficulties.

Nonetheless, there can be rotation in the Ministers.

When questioned whether any consideration over community had been kept in mind over Ministry expansion, Ibobi replied that special consideration had been given to ensure equal representation of all the communities in his government.

But there is some limitation since the size of the Ministry is only 12 Ministers.

To a question on denial of Ministerial berths to some MLAs who were Ministers in the earlier term, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh stated categorically that some of the former Ministers have been dropped on account of their poor performance.

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