|
|
New ministers take charge New Delhi: The new ministers inducted into the UPA Cabinet after Sunday's reshuffle took charge of their offices on Monday. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has retained the external affairs portfolio. President Abdul Kalam swore in the new cabinet ministers and the ministers of state. Ambika Soni, the UPA coalition government's new tourism minister, touted as a close aide of party chief Sonia Gandhi, moved into the tourism ministry replacing Renuka Chowdhury, who has been given the portfolio of women and child affairs. Soni who has been a prominent Congress face and worked aggressively for the party both at the national and state levels, said the party's biggest challenge was to harness the full potential of its youth leaders. "The challenge before us, our leadership today is that how to amalgamate our experience, which is there with our leaders, and the enthusiasm and energy of the youth. How to use both to our advantage? Both are required today," Soni said after taking charge. A cabinet post has also been created for minority affairs, filled by AR Antulay, a move analysts say is aimed at shoring up support for the Congress-led coalition government, especially the key states of West Bengal and Kerala, which have large Muslim communities. Some of the new appointees replace cabinet ministers in key areas including coal, water resources, heavy industry and public enterprise, power and company affairs. New power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde promised ambitious reforms in the critical but ailing sector. "Today when we think of export, of development then in every sphereindustry, we will need to give power. We will give power to every house, every rural household...it will be my ministrys commitment," Shinde said. New Ministers of State for foreign affairs, defence and finance have also been appointed while the Prime Minister retained the Ministry of External Affairs portfolio, in a move seen as preparation for a March visit by U.S. President George W. Bush. |
Tourist
offices
|
|
|