Kolkata: In a minor reshuffle of the portfolios of her ministers, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday Santiram Mahato as a minister of the key department of Paschimanchal Unnayan Affairs.
Mahato is currently holding the portfolio of Self Help Group and Self-employment in the cabinet.
According to state secretariat sources, state consumer affairs Minister Sadhan Pande has been entrusted with the additional charge of Self Help Group and Self-employment.
The Paschimanchal Unnyan Affairs department was formed in 2006 by the previous Left Front government to draw up development projects for backward people in Maoist-infested districts of Bankura, Purulia, West Midnapore and also two other south Bengal districts of Burdwan and Birbhum.
Thanking Mamata Banerjee, Mahato, a leader from Purulia district, told PTI, "I will try to live up to the expectation of the people."
Sukumar Hansda, a party MLA from Jhargram in West Midnapore district, presently the minister for Paschimanchal Unnayan Affairs has been made the minister of tribal affairs department, a portfolio which is being held by the chief minister till now.
The sources said that the state government sent its recommendation about the changes in the portfolio to Governor KN Tripathi for his assent.
