CHANDIGARH: In wake of quitting of Punjab Horticulture Minister Fauja Singh Sarari on Saturday, Balbir Singh was sworn-in as a minister and allocated the Health and Family Welfare portfolio.

Balbir Singh, a legislator representing Patiala Rural, is an ophthalmologist by profession. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has also re-allocated portfolios after the new induction.

Harjot Bains has been given control of Higher Education in place of Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, who was previously in charge of the Health Department. Chetan Singh Jouramajra has been assigned responsibility for all portfolios that were under Sarari's management.

As for the portfolio, the Mines & Geology Departments, held by Bains, were given to Hayer.

Sarari, the second minister to leave the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) administration since it took office nine months ago, announced his resignation from the Cabinet earlier in the day after his name appeared in a case involving the creation of an extortion plan.

Vijay Singla, who formerly held the position of Health and Family Welfare, was expelled from the Cabinet due to corruption allegations.

In July 2022, Sarari was appointed to the Cabinet. But in September, a recording of him purportedly discussing a scheme to blackmail food grain carriers went viral.

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