In a strategic Cabinet reshuffle, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday reallocated ministerial portfolios, making significant adjustments to the responsibilities of his Cabinet colleagues. The latest reshuffle saw Cabinet Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer undergo a reduction in his portfolio, with major departments being reassigned.
Information and Public Relations Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra emerged as a key figure in this reallocation, absorbing key portfolios previously held by Hayer.
Hayer, who recently celebrated his wedding in Chandigarh on November 7, retained the Sports and Youth Welfare Department as his only responsibility. However, his previous domains — Mines and Geology, and Water Resources — have been transferred to Jouramajra.
The Chief Minister has decided to keep the portfolio of Science Technology and Environment Minister with himself. Mann already has his hand full holding the charge of key departments, including general Administration, Home Affairs and Justice, Personnel, Vigilance, Industries and Commerce, Jails, Legal and Legislative Affairs, Civil Aviation, Cooperation, and Housing and Urban Development.
The move marks the second time that Hayer’s portfolio has undergone changes, indicating a nuanced recalibration of ministerial roles within the 20-month-old AAP Government.
The development is a continuation of the trend seen in the previous Cabinet reshuffle, where the significant Health and Higher and School Education portfolios were withdrawn from Jouramajra’s purview. In this recent maneuver, Jouramajra, now overseeing Mines and Geology and Water Resources along with the Conservation of Land and Water, has emerged as the fourth Irrigation Minister in the Punjab Cabinet. He is already holding the charge of Defence Services Welfare, Freedom Fighters, Horticulture, and the Information and Public Relations Departments.
Despite being seasoned second-time legislators, both Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and Aman Arora find themselves with diminished roles despite their seniority within the 17-member Cabinet. The dynamic changes in ministerial responsibilities suggest a strategic realignment to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of the AAP government's governance model.
In particular, Jouramajra’s elevation to the mining portfolio is notable. First-time MLA from the Samana Assembly seat, Jouramajra has previously held crucial portfolios, including Elections, Health and Family Welfare of Punjab. This accumulation of responsibilities positions him as a pivotal figure in the AAP government's administrative structure.
The official approval for the portfolio reallocation came from Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, who acknowledged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's proposed changes in a letter, thereby formalizing the reshuffled ministerial landscape in the state.