Manipur in financial crisis, minister stripped

Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh today made a major shakeup in the ministry stripping two of his senior ministers from the key portfolios of Finance and PWD and kept it with him.

He removed deputy chief minister Y Joykumar Singh from thefinance portfolio,  as financial crisisloomed over the state while another senior minister, Thongam Biswajit Singh,removed from key departments like PWD and power.

CM Singh has now taken over finance, power, PWD, excise,taxation in addition to his existing portfolios.

Similarly, deputy CM Joykumar, who belongs to the rulingBharatiya Janata Party's ally in the state — National People's Party (NPP) —has retained science and technology, economics and statistics and civilaviation.

Meanwhile, Biswajit Singh has been given portfolios of rural development and Panchayati raj, commerce and industries, administrative reforms and training, information and public relations.

The decision, which might have wide political ramificationsin days to come in the Northeast state, was taken following a state Cabinetmeeting that authorized the chief minister to take all necessary disciplinaryactions to imbibe a culture of financial prudence and property in keygovernment departments.

The Chief Minister is not happy with the functioning ofthese two ministers for quite some time.