In a minor reshuffle of the portfolios of her ministers, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today made 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 K N Tripathi for his assent.
