By IANS
New Delhi : Former chief election commissioner M.S. Gill has been made the minister of state with independent charge of youth affairs and sports while Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia is the minister of state for IT and communications in the cabinet reshuffle effected Sunday.
According to an official statement after seven new ministers of state were sworn in, V. Narayanaswamy has got the portfolios of parliamentary affairs and planning, while coal goes to Santosh Bagrodia. Raghunath Jha is the minister of state for heavy industries and public enterprises.
Rameshwar Oraon has been given charge of tribal affairs and Jitin Prasada has been made minister of steel.
After the allocation of portfolios to the new ministers, those of some existing ministers were also changed.
Among the cabinet ministers, Vayalar Ravi will take care of both overseas Indian affairs and parliamentary affairs, while Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi is divested of the charge of parliamentary affairs.
Mani Shankar Aiyar will now be in charge of the ministries of Panchyati Raj, and Development of North Eastern Region. Earlier, he also looked after youth affairs and sports.
B.K. Handique will now look after chemicals and fertilizers and mines, Shakeel Ahmad will be minister of state of home, and Prithviraj Chavan will be minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office as also in charge of personnel, public grievances and pensions.
Kanti Singh, who earlier held the portfolio of heavy industries and public enterprises as minister of state, has now been shifted to tourism and culture, while Pawan Kumar Bansal has got finance, and parliamentary affairs. Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh has been given the additional charge of power.