Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Thursday decided to take additional responsibilities of three important departments — Finance, Power and the Public Works.
So far, the chief minister was shouldering the responsibilities of the Home, Transport, General Administration, Sericulture, Tourism, IT and Vigilance departments.
Deputy chief minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh was looking after the Finance department while the Power and Public Works department were with Th Biswajit Singh.
Though N Biren Singh did not explain any reason for taking up the additional responsibilities, the decision was apparently taken after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The cabinet meeting on Wednesday discussed the poor financial condition of Manipur as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a ban on all transaction of funds from the account of Manipur government with effect from the month of June.
The cabinet members apparently authorized N Biren Singh to initiate disciplinary actions to bring in financial discipline in Manipur.
As a part of the financial discipline exercise, a thorough investigation of the sanction procedures and financial management would be conducted for all key departments, sources in the CMO said.
The CMO issued an official memo on Thursday stating that it was noted that huge amounts were withdrawn by Public Works and Power department during the period of March to May, 2019 while the Model Code of Conduct was in force.
It said a three-committee comprising Principal secretary V Vumlunmang, commissioner-cum-secretary Nidhi Kesarwani and deputy secretary W Ajit Singh would examine the large withdrawals by other departments.
Now, deputy chief minister Joykumar Singh will only after Excise, Taxation, Science and Technology, Economics and Statistics and Civil Aviation departments.
Th Biswajit Singh will now hold the portfolio for Panchayati Raj, Information and Public Relations, Administrative Reforms, Commerce and Industries.