Manipur Chief Minister allocates portfolios to council of ministers

A month after taking oath as chief minister of Manipur, Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Wednesday allocated portfolios to his council of ministers, ending the much-speculated expansion of the council of ministers.
As per the allocation, Singh kept most of the key departments but gave the home department to Konthoujam Govindas Singh, while two departments each were allocated to the two deputy chief ministers.
As per an official notification issued by state confidential and cabinet department and signed by chief secretary Dr Puneet Kumar Goel, deputy chief minister Nemcha Kipgen has been entrusted with the rural development & panchayati raj department and the tribal affairs & hills department.
Deputy chief minister Losii Dikho has been alloted the charge of the public health engineering department along with the forest, environment & climate change department.
Konthoujam Govindas Singh who took oath as cabinet minister has been given charge of the home department as well as youth affairs & sports department.
Another cabinet minister Khuraijam Loken Singh has been assigned the charge of arts & culture department and tourism department.
The notification was issued under Rule 6(1) of the Rules of Business of the Government of Manipur, which states that the chief minister will look after any department not allocated specifically.
The Manipur Governor allocated the portfolios to the ministers on the advice of the chief minister, the notification added.
Notably, the allocation of the portfolios to the members of the council of ministers came a month after the BJP-led elected government was installed.
The Khemchand-led elected government in Manipur was installed on February 4 this year with the Centre revoking the nearly a year of President’s Rule on the same day.
However, the chief minister did not allocate portfolios to be handled by the ministers, including the chief minister himself, apart from non-expansion of his council of ministers which many expected induction of more ministers till date.
As per constitutional provisions, Manipur can have up to 12 ministers including the chief minister. This allows Singh to induct at least seven more ministers into his council.
A month after the swearing-in, the portfolio distribution had taken place but expansion of the cabinet was yet to take place, leaving political circles speculating about the delay.