E-Paper
Back-to-back meetings of Union Cabinet, Council of Ministers expected today
The cabinet reshuffle was held on Wednesday at the Rashtrapati Bhavan where newly-inducted minsters took oath. The expansion saw more representation to states which will go to the polls next year.
The Union Cabinet and the Council of Ministers are expected to meet on Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi carried out a major expansion and reshuffle of his ministers.
Also Watch: Who gets what in PM Modi's new cabinet
The two meetings will be held back-to-back on Thursday, people aware of the developments said. While the cabinet meeting is likely to take place at 5pm, the Council of Ministers may meet at 7pm.
Also Read: Modi's new cabinet is a blend of youth, skills and social engineering
PM Modi held the meeting of the Council of Ministers last month to discuss the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) situation in the country. He asked the ministers to create an environment where people follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and get themselves vaccinated.
Thursday's meeting will see many notable names missing who resigned ahead of the cabinet reshuffle. Many new names were inducted, while the portfolios of some of the ministers changed in the first such exercise since Modi government came to power for the second time in 2019.
The Prime Minister has brought in Mansukh Mandaviya as health minister, Kiren Rijiju as law minister, Dharmendra Pradhan as education minister, and Jyotiratidya Scindia as civil aviation minister.
Also Read: From farmer to lawyer, new faces from varied backgrounds make it to Cabinet
The exercise saw induction of 15 cabinet ministers and several ministers of state. Seven ministers of state were elevated to cabinet rank.
The expansion saw more representation to states which will go to the polls next year, including Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, and is aimed at infusing more young talent in the government.
Smirti Irani stays as women and child development minister while the textiles portfolio that was with her has been given to Piyush Goyal, who continues as minister of commerce and industry and minister of consumer affairs. He also held the railways portfolio earlier.
Forty-three ministers, including seven who were elevated as cabinet ministers, took the oath of office at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan held with protocols related to Covid-19.
