Mamata inducts two in her cabinet

Two new ministers were Thursday inducted into the West Bengal government while a minister of state was elevated and given independent charge, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced.

Binay Krishna Burman, a lawmaker from Mathabhanga in north Bengal's Cooch Behar district, is the new forest minister, replacing Hiten Burman who stepped down citing health issues and illness.

However, political circles feel Hiten Burman got the stick for "non-performance".

Sashi Panja, MLA from Kolkata's Shyampukur, was sworn in as minister with independent charge and was allotted the women and child welfare portfolio. Panja was working as parliamentary secretary till now.

Minister of state for cottage and small scale industry, Swapan Debnath, was promoted as a minister with independent charge.

Debnath would continue as minister of state in the same department, besides getting independent charge of animal husbandry.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made the announcement after the three were administered oath of office by governor M.K. Narayanan at Raj Bhavan. Senior ministers and bureaucrats were present.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supremo Bimal Gurung was also sworn in as the new chief executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

Gurung had earlier stepped down as the chief of the autonomous hill council after the Gorkha outfit had intensified the movement for a separate state of Gorkhaland.