Portfolio distribution: Important departments still lack full time ministers
Cong accuses the CM of continuing ad hocism in Health and finance departments
Though the chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat finally distributed the portfolios after three days of swearing in of his council of ministers on Tuesday, he kept key portfolios like home, health, finance and public works with him. Former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat had drawn criticism for keeping more than three dozen departments with him during his tenure. It was expected that the new CM Tirath Singh Rawat would have full time health and finance minister but the distribution of portfolios proved that he has other plans. The experts are of the view that under the prevailing circumstances perpetuated by the pandemic of Covid-19, the CM should have appointed separate ministers for health and finance departments. They point out that lack of a full time health minister was felt during the last four years and most importantly during the period of pandemic.
When contacted by The Pioneer, the founder of Social Development for Communities (SDC) foundation Anoop Nautiyal said, “ In the current situation, health cannot be a part time portfolio. We need a full time health minister. Similarly finance too should have a separate minister as it needs out of the box thinking and creativity.’’
Questioning the motive behind keeping the health and finance portfolios with the CM, the spokesperson of Uttarakhand Congress, Garima Dassauni said that if the CM had to keep the health department with him then what was the need for creating political turmoil in the state?
She said that the economy of the state is completely derailed and in such a situation the CM should have appointed a full time finance minister. Dassauni also took the BJP government to the task of reversing many of its decisions which it had claimed to be historic.
Wednesday, 17 March 2021 | PNS | Dehradun