Modi shuffles deck with eye on 2019

TEAM MODI 3.0 Modi inducts nine new faces in Cabinet, meatier roles for Goyal, Sitharaman, Pradhan and Naqvi I congratulate all those who have taken oath today. Their experience & wisdom will add immense value to the

Council of Ministers

Nirmala Sitharaman was appointed the defence minister and Piyush Goyal the railway minister Sunday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi revamped his team, bringing in nine new faces and changing some major portfolios to bring dynamism and efficiency in governance.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley was earlier given the defence portfolio as additional charge after Manohar Parrikar shifted to Goa as chief minister in March.

Transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari emerged as a major gainer in the reshuffle with the addition of important portfolios of water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation, which was held by Uma Bharti. She was shifted to the relatively low-profile ministry of drinking water and sanitation.

Prabhu, who had offered to quit after a string of train derailments but was told by the PM to wait, replaced Sitharaman as the minister of commerce and industry.

Textile minister Smriti Irani retained the information and broadcasting ministry that was given to her as an additional charge after Venkaiah Naidu became the vice president of India. Another major gainer in the exercise was science and technology minister Harsh Vardhan, who retained the dual charge of the ministry of environment, forest and climate change.

Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was elevated to Cabinet rank on Sunday, was also allocated skill development ministry that was held by Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who resigned a few days ago.

Minister of state Rajyavardhan Rathore was promoted and given independent charge of youth and sports affairs. Former diplomat Hardeep Puri was given independent charge of the ministry of housing and urban affairs. Former home secretary RK Singh was given independent charge of power and new and renewable energy. Former DDA commissioner KJ Alphons was given independent charge of tourism.

Earlier in the day, the PM promoted four ministers of state with independent charge of ministries to Cabinet rank—Dharmendra Pradhan, Piyush Goyal, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Nirmala Sitharaman—and inducted nine new faces including four ex- bureaucrats — former diplomat Hardeep Singh Puri, former Mumbai police commissioner Satyapal Singh, former Union home secretary RK Singh and former commissioner of the Delhi Development Authority KJ Alphons, known as Demolition Man for actions against unauthorized constructions in Delhi.

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