Veteran journalist turned politician Swapan Dasgupta was allotted finance while senior-most party leader Tapas Roy, with his long legislative and ministerial experience in the previous Trinamool tenure, has been allotted industry, commerce and enterprises, public enterprises, industrial reconstruction and non-conventional and renewable energy sources.
After taking charge, Dasgupta said his challenge is increasing revenue without raising taxes and stopping leakages. “The economic condition of West Bengal is not very good. Our biggest challenge will be to increase revenue without increasing taxes,” he said.
Dasgupta will be travelling to North Bengal on Thursday and speak to people associated with the tea industry and other local industries.
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Tapas Roy said the government’s priority is to stop the flight of capital and create an industry-friendly environment conducive for bringing industries. “Altogether 6,888 big industries have left. The aim is to create an investor-friendly environment in the state,” Roy told ET.
Portfolios were also allocated to three ministers of state (independent charge) — Malati Rava Roy (women & child development, social welfare, self help groups & self employment and programme monitoring departments), Rajesh Mahata (animal resources development and fisheries) and Indranil Khan (youth services, sports and consumer affairs).‘A great one he is’: Trump congratulates PM Modi on becoming India’s longest-serving Prime Minister
RSS old-timers like Dipak Burman has become minister for school education and Jagannath Chattopadhyay has been allotted state higher education and technical education, training and skills development. Burman also holds housing and micro, small micro, small and medium enterprises and textiles.
Sharadwat Mukherjee, a doctor, has been allotted health & family welfare while Agnimitra Paul has been made the minister for urban development & municipal affairs. Nishith Pramanik has got additional charge of water resources investigation and development department.
Shankar Ghosh, a two-time legislator, and former BJP chief whip in the Assembly, has been allotted parliamentary affairs and tourism. Manoj Kumar Oraon has been allotted forests and environment.
Arjun Singh had been allotted labour and transport while Gouri Shankar Ghosh, MLA of Murshidabad, had been allotted backward classes welfare, mass education extension and library services.
Kalyan Chakraborti has been given information technology & electronics, science, technology & biotechnology, food processing industries and horticulture.
