Gurmeet Singh Khudian Appointed as Punjab Agriculture Minister, Balkar Singh Takes Charge of Local Bodies Bhagwant

Balkar Singh and Gurmeet Singh Khudian took their oaths as ministers in the Bhagwant Mann cabinet on Wednesday, with Governor Banwarilal Purohit administering the ceremony.

In a recent cabinet reshuffle, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann made changes, resulting in Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal losing his responsibilities in both the agriculture and rural development departments.

The newly appointed minister, Gurmeet Singh Khudian, will now oversee the agriculture department, while the rural development department has been entrusted to Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar.

Balkar Singh, who was brought into the cabinet as a gesture of appreciation for his assistance in securing the crucial Jalandhar by-election victory for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, has been entrusted with the Local Government department. As the elections for local bodies are scheduled later this year, the Local Government department plays a vital role in policymaking and overall management.

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Gurmeet Singh Khudian, recognized as a formidable contender for triumphing over the five-term chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, has been entrusted with the agriculture department in Punjab. This appointment comes at a crucial occasion as the ruling party focuses on solidifying support from rural areas for the upcoming zila parishad and panchayat elections scheduled for this year. Additionally, Khudian will oversee the animal husbandry, dairy, and food processing departments.

Amidst the upcoming introduction of a new agriculture policy in June and the initiation of a campaign to reclaim encroached panchayat land across the state starting this Thursday, significant portfolios have been removed from Dhaliwal.

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Dhaliwal's recent "downsizing" follows shortly after the "resignation" of Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar, another minister, late last night.

In the third cabinet expansion within the 15-month tenure of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab, the Punjab Council of Ministers now comprises 16 ministers, including the Chief Minister. However, there are still two cabinet positions that remain unfilled.

-With inputs from Tribune 

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