Guwahati: chief minister of assam Himanta Biswa Sarma On Tuesday, he took charge of the Health and Family Welfare Department by making a minor reshuffle in his cabinet. The Health Department was earlier headed by Dr. Keshav MahantHe has been reallocated his portfolios after former minister Parimal Suklabaidya was elected to the Lok Sabha.

According to an official notification, Mahanta, a member of the BJP’s alliance partner Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), was holding the post since 2021.

Mahanta has been reallocated the Transport, Excise and Fisheries departments, which were with Suklabaidya, besides giving him Science, Technology and Climate Change and Information Technology departments.

Suklabaidya resigned from his ministerial post after being elected to the Lok Sabha from Silchar (SC) parliamentary constituency, which has been accepted by the Governor.

Apart from the Health and Family Welfare Department, the Chief Minister will also continue to hold the portfolios of Home, Personnel, Public Works, Medical Education and Research, Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture (except Directorate of Library and Museum and Directorate of Archaeology) and any other department not allotted to any other minister.

As health minister under chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Sarma led the state’s efforts in tackling the Covid-19 crisis, ramping up health infrastructure, including testing facilities, and taking a number of measures to mitigate the hardships faced by patients, their families and migrant workers stranded outside the state during the lockdown.