New Delhi: A day after a 72-member Union Cabinet under third-time Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn in, the portfolios were announced on Monday. Continuity was the order of the day with all top-profile ministers retaining their jobs in Modi 3.0.
As for the three Cabinet-rank ministers from Odisha, Dharmendra Pradhan and Ashwini Vaishnaw have retained their major responsibilities of Education and Railways, respectively, while Jewel Oram has been named Tribal Affairs minister. Vaishnaw has been given an additional responsibility – the important Information & Broadcasting ministry.
The top guns in Modi’s Cabinet remain unchanged – Rajnath Singh retains Defence, Amit Shah keeps Ministries of Home and Cooperation, Nirmala Sitharaman is still in charge of Finance and Corporate Affairs, S Jaishankar continues as External Affairs minister, Nitin Gadkari retains Road Transport & Highways.
The two heavyweight newly-elected ministers JP Nadda and Shivraj Singh Chauhan have been given important portfolios.
Outgoing BJP president Nadda will be minister of Health & Family Welfare as well as Chemicals & Fertilisers. Nadda was in charge of Health & Family Welfare in Modi’s first term.
Four-time Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan will take charge of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and also Rural Development.