Glad I was part of formulating education policy, says Smriti Irani
Smriti Irani played up her achievements as the human resource development minister, as she took charge as textile minister at Udyog Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday.
A day after she was shunted out to the textiles ministry, Union minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday said her stint as the HRD Minister was “satisfactory and fruitful”, and sought to convey that her new portfolio should not be seen as a demotion.
Irani played up her achievements as the human resource development minister.
“I am glad that I have been part of the process of formulating the National Education Policy after 30 years, and that the honourable Prime Minister gave me such an opportunity,” Irani said, addressing the media in the Capital.
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She said it was during her tenure that the HRD ministry deliberated with “every state and every village” and incorporated their inputs in the new education policy.
“This has been done for the first time in the history of India,” she said.
On her replacement, Irani said she is “glad that Prakash Javadekar is going to take the PM’s vision further”.
“Thanks to Prakash ji who publicly praised my work and spoke of taking it forward,” she said.
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On her new assignment, Irani said that textiles is one of the most important sectors that has the potential “to employ and skill and to scale up the Prime Minister’s dream of Make in India”.
“I know that the Prime Minister wants to give a boost to the textiles ministry and the new package announced for the sector indicates as much. I am happy that I have been given this opportunity to implement the roadmap that was projected through the cabinet for textiles sector,” she said.
Irani said she has been given the charge of a ministry that employs women in large numbers.
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