By NNN-Xinhua
New Delhi : Seven new ministers were inducted into the Indian government Sunday, the Press Trust of India reported.
New Ministers of State are: V Narayanasamy — Parliamentary Affairs and Planning, Santosh Bagrodia — Coal, Raghunath Jha — Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Rameshwar Oraon — TribalAffairs, Jyotiraditya Scindia — Communications and Information Technology, and Jitin Prasada — Steel.
The new ministers were administered the oath of office and secrecy by India President Pratibha Patil at a function attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, ruling Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Cabinet Ministers.
The changes in the ministry which was speculated for a long time, has been limited to the Congress Party with the exception of only one new minister, Raghunath Jha, the report said.
Those who resigned from the government ahead of the expansion were Suresh Pachouri (Personnel), Dasari Narayan Rao (Coal), M V Rajasekharan (Planning), T Subbarami Reddy (Mines), Akhilesh Das (Steel) and Manikrao Gavit (Home). The President has accepted their resignations with immediate effect.
Among those inducted at a swearing-in ceremony Sunday evening were young Members of Parliament Jyotiraditya Scindia and Jitin Prasada, Former Chief Election Commissioner M.S. Gill, Members of Parliament V.N. Narayanswamy, Rameshwar Oraon, Santosh Bagrodia and Raghunath Jha.