Kolkata

The West Bengal government on Wednesday announced the allocation of portfolios among newly inducted ministers, with senior BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta being entrusted with the finance department and Tapas Roy appointed as the state's industries minister.

The portfolio distribution covered 13 Cabinet ministers and 22 ministers of state, including three who have been given independent charge of their departments.

BJP legislator Sharadwat Mukherjee, elected from the Bidhannagar constituency, has been assigned the health department. Dudh Kumar Mondal will oversee agriculture, while journalist-turned-politician Jagannath Chattopadhyay has been appointed minister for higher education. Dipak Barman has been entrusted with the school education portfolio.

Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh has been given charge of the tourism and parliamentary affairs departments. Former MP Arjun Singh will head the labour and transport ministries.

Among the ministers of state holding independent charge, Indranil Khan has been assigned the sports and youth affairs department along with consumer affairs. Malati Rava Roy will oversee women and child development.

The portfolio allocation follows the swearing-in ceremony held on June 1, during which 35 MLAs took oath as ministers after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari expanded his council of ministers.

With the latest induction, the strength of the West Bengal ministry has risen to 41 members.

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The expanded Cabinet has been structured to reflect a balance of regional representation, social diversity and gender inclusion, underscoring the BJP-led government's effort to accommodate different sections of society in the state's first saffron administration.