Punjab: Health Minister changed for third time in 10 months; Dr Balbir Singh given charge
Jauramajra gets charge of departments held by Fauja Singh Sarari, who quit amid corruption allegations
Mohali, January 7: The Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Saturday saw reshuffle for the second time in the 10-month tenure of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state. Not only this, the Punjab Cabinet has changed the Health Minister for the third time. Chetan Singh Jauramajra, who held the portfolio till morning, now holds the charge of all those departments that were with Fauja Singh Sarari, who resigned in the morning. In his place, Dr Balbir Singh, MLA from Patiala (Rural), has been made Health Minister.
Fauja Singh Sarari resigned this morning following allegations of corruption. He held the portfolios of horticulture among others. Now, Chetan Singh Jauramajra will look after the departments of Freedom Fighters, Defence Services Welfare, Food Processing and Horticulture.
On the other hand, Dr Balbir Singh has been given the portfolios of Health & Family Welfare, Medical Education & Research and Elections.
Anmol Gagan Maan has been given Tourism & Culture Affairs, Investment Promotion, Labour; . Removal of Grievances and Hospitability.
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Harjot Singh Bains gets Technical Education and Industrial Training; Higher Education and School Education while Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer has been given the charge of Governance Reforms; Water Resources; Mines & Geology; Science Technology & Environment and Sports & Youth Services.
The departments of General Administration; Home Affairs & Justice; Personnel; Vigilance; Co-operation; Industries & Commerce; Employment Generation & Training; Jails; Legal & Legislative Affairs and Civil Aviation remains with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
Controversy over Vijay Singla
Vijay Singla who was given Health Ministry in the beginning, was sacked from the state Cabinet on corruption charges. At that time, AAP had been in power in Punjab for barely two months. Bhagwant Mann himself announced the removal of Vijay Singla from the Council of Ministers.
It was alleged that Singla was demanding one per cent commission in tenders and purchases of his department.
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After his removal, the department remained with Bhagwant Mann till Chetan Singh Jauramajra was given the charge.
Soon, Jauramajra too courted controversy after he allegedly forced the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Dr Raj Bahadur, to lie on a dirty mattress at a hospital. Soon after this incident, Dr Raj Bahadur resigned as the VC of BFUHS. Now, in a fresh reshuffle, the health ministry has gone to Dr Balbir Singh.