J&K Deputy CM gets charge of Industries and Commerce, Forest departments

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today assigned the charge of the two departments held by former ministers Chander Prakash Ganga and Lal Singh, both of whom resigned recently, to the state's Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh.

J&K Governor N N Vohra had yesterday accepted the resignation of Lal Singh and Ganga, who had participated in a rally in support of a CBI probe in rape and murder case of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district.

"I do hereby assign the charge of the Departments of Industries & Commerce and Forest, Ecology & Environment to Dr Nirmal Kumar Singh, Deputy Chief Minister in addition to the subjects already assigned to him," said an order issued by the chief minister here today.

Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh is presently holding the charge of the Power Development and Housing & Urban Development departments.

Earlier, the charge of the departments of Industries & Commerce was with Ganga while Lal Singh was held the Forest, Ecology & Environment portfolio.

Mehbooba, who received the resignation of the two ministers from BJP state chief Sat Sharma on April 15, had immediately accepted and forwarded the same to the governor for completing the procedural formalities.

With these resignations, the number of ministers in the state government had come down to 22, including nine from the BJP.

Both Ganga and Singh had participated in a rally on March 1 after the crime branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested the nephew of a caretaker of a 'Devisthan' (temple) in connection with the kidnapping and rape of the girl. They had resigned on April 14.