GUWAHATI, Jan 18 - A year-and-a-half before the State goes to polls, two new faces � Mahmara MLA Jogen Mohan and Tinsukia MLA Sanjoy Kishan � were on Saturday inducted into the Sarbananda Sonowal-led ministry.
Governor Jagdish Mukhi administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers of state in the presence of a host of dignitaries at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan here.
Jogen Mohan has been given independent charge of revenue and disaster management and he will also assist the PWD minister as MoS in the department. Sanjoy Kishan got independent charge of tea tribes welfare and he will also assist the cabinet minister in the labour welfare department.
Some portfolios were also reallocated today with Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma getting back the education portfolio. Siddhartha Bhattacharya, who was stripped of education portfolio, was given cooperation department in addition to Guwahati development department, and law and justice.
Irrigation Minister Bhabesh Kalita, who was divested of the revenue portfolio, was also made MoS in the education department.
After the oath-taking ceremony, Jogen Mohan claimed that he never approached anyone seeking a berth in the ministry. �I am grateful to the party leadership... I will get around a year�s term as a minister and I promise to give my best,� he said.
Sanjoy Kishan, a tea community representative in the Assembly, after taking oath said that in coming days he will work hard as a minister of state by following the ideals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
�I hope everyone will help me in my journey as a minister. I want to convey my gratitude to the party leadership. We will work to ensure welfare of every section of public,� Kishan said.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma, Siddhartha Bhattacharya, Chandra Mohan Patowary, Ranjit Dutta, Naba Kumar Doley, Pijush Hazarika, MLAs, senior government officers and a host of other dignitaries were present in the swearing-in ceremony.
Sonowal congratulated both the ministers and extended best wishes for their new assignment. The Chief Minister exuded confidence that the new ministers would do justice to their responsibilities and serve the people with sincerity, dedication and commitment.