NEWS HIGHLIGHT : PM Modi's Swanky New Cabinet Gets to Work: 'We're Geared Up, Ready for a Marathon'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s bigger and bolder cabinet – his first in his second term – is slowly and steadily taking charge. Several ​​members from Modi’s core team of ministers, touted to be the youngest ever, got to work on Saturday disregarding the fact that it was the weekend as India battles the double jeopardy of an ever-evolving pandemic and an economy flailing in its throes.

Amit Shah, put in charge of the newly created Ministry of Cooperatives on Saturday met with officials and said the government was determined to make cooperatives and all cooperative institutions more empowered. Officials said even though Shah has not yet assumed the charge of the ministry of cooperation, he has begun to meet people.

The meeting came three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi reallocated the portfolios of his ministers. 

Those who met the Union home minister include chairman of the National Cooperative Union of India Dileep Sanghani, the chairman and the managing director of the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) B S Nakai and U S Awasthi respectively and chairman of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) Bijender Singh.

Piyush Goyal Holds Meeting With Textile Representatives

Piyush Goyal, given the charge of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry; Ministry of Consumber Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; and Ministry of Textiles informed that he had held a series of review meetings with textile industry representatives in Mumbai to develop the sector’s value chain.

Dharmendra Pradhan Reviews Functioning of Literacy Department

Dharmendra Pradhan, given the charge of Ministry of Education; and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship held a review meeting of the functioning of school education and discussed initiatives on school education, NEP and digitisation, he said in a tweet:

Narayan Rane Reviews MSME Schemes

Former Shiv Sena leader Narayan Rane, who took charge as the new Union MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) Minister. Rane had earlier said the ministry will work in the direction of creating more jobs and promoting GDP growth. “Today, I have taken the charge. We will think of steps to promote GDP growth and the creation of jobs for youth,” he had told reporters.

“All Schemes of MSME Department were reviewed in maiden meeting. After witnessing the Presentation and discussion on all schemes, instructed to Increase the speed of implementation and scope of schemes,” Rane said in a tweet on Saturday.

Dr Virendra Kumar Holds Review Meet

Veteran parliamentarian Dr Virendra Kumar, who took office as the country’s new Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, held a review meeting with officials on Friday.

RCP Singh Holds Meet

Ramchandra Prasad Singh, who is in charge of the Ministry of Steel, held a meeting with officials on Thursday.

Ashwini Vaishnaw Holds Meet on Progress of National Supercomputing Mission

Bureaucrat-entrepreneur-turned-politician Ashwini Vaishnaw, 51, took charge as the country’s new Railway Minister, and also holds two other important portfolios of Communications and Electronics and Information Technology. The minister on Saturday held a review meeting on CDAC and its progress on National Supercomputing Mission and other programs and services:

Ministers Take Charge Post Cabinet Rehaul

Several ministers, who took charge after a major Cabinet reshuffle, had on Thursday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership and vowed to realise his vision for the country. Newly appointed Union ministers and those elevated in the Cabinet reshuffle, including Ashwini Vaishnaw, Anurag Thakur and Mansukh Mandaviya, took charge of their respective ministries on Thursday.

Bureaucrat-entrepreneur-turned-politician Vaishnaw, took charge as the country’s new railway minister, while Thakur who was elevated as Information and Broadcasting Minister also assumed office. Bhupender Yadav assumed charge of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and as the Labour Minister.

Apart from 15 Cabinet ministers, 28 Ministers of State, comprising new faces and those elevated, were sworn in at a ceremony which was held in the Darbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.