The portfolio allocation to ministers following the reshuffle in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet has been revealed, laying out the responsibilities of the newly appointed ministers. The Union Cabinet finalized the portfolio allocation in a crucial meeting convened on Monday, with notable continuity and significant changes marking the composition of the Modi Cabinet 3.0.
Senior Ministers Retain Key Portfolios
The key highlights of the ministerial allocation include the retention of key portfolios by senior ministers, with Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, Amit Shah and Dr S Jaishankar retaining their respective roles in the ministries of Defence, Finance, Home and External Affairs. Additionally, Nitin Gadkari oversees the Ministry of Road Transport, while Harsh Malhotra and Ajay Tamta support him as his associate ministers of state.
Reshuffling Brings Fresh Faces to Prominent Roles
In a significant reshuffle, new entrants like Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Manohar Lal Khattar and JP Nadda have been assigned key responsibilities. Chouhan has been chosen to head the agriculture and panchayat ministry, while Khattar will oversee urban development and power. Nadda will move to the health ministry, mirroring his previous role in Modi Cabinet 1.0.
Varied Portfolios Reflect Government’s Multi-dimensional Strategy
Further diversification is evident with Dharmendra Pradhan handling the education ministry, Hardeep Puri handling the petroleum ministry and Sarbananda Sonowal overseeing ports and shipping. Notably, Ashwini Vaishnaw’s dual responsibilities covering the railways and information and broadcasting ministries underline the multifaceted approach of the new cabinet.
Key Ministerial Roles Distributed Among Allies
Allies also secured key ministerial positions, with Chirag Paswan getting the sports ministry, Jitan Ram Manjhi getting the micro, small and medium enterprises ministry, Ram Mohan Naidu getting the civil aviation ministry and HD Kumaraswamy getting the heavy industries and steel ministry.
In a move towards diversification, Mansukh Mandaviya was given the labour ministry, Piyush Goyal the commerce ministry and Kiren Rijiju the parliamentary affairs ministry. CR Patil oversees the Jal Shakti Ministry, while Gajendra Singh Shekhawat oversees culture and tourism and Ravneet Singh Bittu minority affairs. Prahlad Joshi has been sent to the Renewable Energy Ministry, Jyotiraditya Scindia to Communications and Giriraj Singh to the Textiles Ministry, indicating a massive reshuffle of ministerial positions in the Modi Cabinet 3.0.