CM Himanta Biswa Sarma expands Assam cabinet, rejigs portfolio

The chief minister inducted two legislators from his party, taking the total strength of the council to 16. He also reshuffled portfolios of some ministers.

Updated on: Jun 10, 2022, 06:44:56 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday expanded his council of ministers for the first time since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led coalition returned to power in the state last year.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (PTI)

The chief minister inducted two legislators from his party, taking the total strength of the council to 16. He also reshuffled portfolios of some ministers.

Subsequently, governor Jagdish Mukhi administered the oath of office and secrecy to Nalbari MLA Jayanta Malla Baruah and Haflong MLA Nandita Garlosa.

Baruah, who defected to the BJP along with Sarma in 2015, was allocated the departments of public health engineering, tourism, and skill, employment & entrepreneurship.

A former chairman of Assam Tourism Development Corporation, the 40-year-old served as Sarma’s political secretary before his elevation as minister.

“I am happy to have been given this new responsibility. I will continue to serve the people to the best of my ability,” Baruah said before taking his oath.

A first-time lawmaker, Garlosa, holds a master’s degree in zoology. She was allocated the departments of power, mines and minerals, cooperation, and indigenous and tribal faith and culture.

While the BJP has 13 ministers, its allies Asom Gana Parishad and United Peoples’ Party Liberal have two and one, respectively, in the state cabinet.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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