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In a major reshuffle, five Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs were sworn in as ministers in the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government on Monday.
Tarunpreet Singh Sond, Barinder Kumar Goyal, Ravjot Singh, Hardeep Singh Mundian, and Mohinder Bhagat took their oaths at Raj Bhavan today. After taking oath as Minister, AAP leader Hardeep Singh Mundian said, "I am thankful to God and my parents... I thank CM Bhagwant Mann, who has given me this huge responsibility." AAP leader Ravjot Singh added, "I thank God, Arvind Kejriwal, CM Bhagwant Mann, and the party's high command. I will fulfil the responsibility given to me with honesty." AAP leader Barinder Kumar Goyal said, "As a cabinet minister, I will work with honesty in service of Punjab. I seek blessings from God to give me the strength for this." AAP leader Tarunpreet Singh Sond said, "I thank the party high command--Arvind Kejriwal, and CM Bhagwant Mann. I will work in the service of Punjab with all my heart." Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has also reshuffled the portfolios of the Cabinet Ministers. CM Mann has retained eight ministries, including Home Affairs & Justice, Legal & Legislative Affairs, and Sports & Youth Services. Harpal Singh Cheema will oversee four ministries, including Finance, Planning, and Excise & Taxation, while Aman Arora will head five ministries, including New & Renewable Energy Sources and Employment Generation & Training. Dr Baljit Kaur will lead two ministries, including Social Justice Empowerment & Minorities, while Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal will manage NRI Affairs and Administrative Reforms. Dr Balbir will take charge of Health & Family Welfare, Medical Education & Research, and Harjot Singh Bains will head Technical Education and Industrial Training, Information & Public Relations, and two other departments. Harbhajan Singh, ETO, will lead the Power and Public Works (B&R) departments. The newly inducted minister, Barinder Kumar Goyal, will head Mines & Geology, Water Resources, and Conservation of Land and Water, while Tarunpreet Singh Sond will lead Tourism & Culture Affairs, Investment Promotion, Labour, Hospitality, Industry and Commerce, and Rural Development & Panchayats. Dr Ravjot Singh will oversee Local Government and Parliamentary Affairs. Gurmeet Singh Khudian will head the Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Animal Husbandry & Fisheries, Dairy Development, and Food Processing departments. Mohinder Bhagat will head Defence Services Welfare and two other departments. In the 2022 Punjab Assembly Elections, the AAP secured a landslide victory, winning 92 seats and sidelining most of its rivals. (ANI)
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