Cabinet expanded, some portfolios reshuffled

Our Economy Bureau
30 January 2006

Mumbai: In the second cabinet reshuffle and first major expansion since the UPA assumed office in mid-2004, prime minister Manmohan Singh inducted into the council of ministers, 18 new faces, elevating three to cabinet rank and re-inducting Shibu Soren. With this the strength of the council of ministers goes up to 79.

Of the new cabinet ministers seven are of cabinet rank while the remaining are ministers of state. The new ministers were sworn-in by president Dr A P J Abdul Kalam at Rashtrapathi Bhavan on Sunday.

Several ministers have been replaced by the new appointees, with some of the new appointees heading ministries that include coal, water resources, heavy industry and public enterprise, power and company affairs as cabinet ministers.

New junior ministers for foreign affairs, defence and finance have also been appointed

Dr Manmohan Singh has retained the foreign affairs portfolio New cabinet rank ministers

Sushil Kumar Shinde inducted in the ministry of power
Abdul Rehman Antulay, former Maharashtra chief minister takes charge of the newly created ministry of minority affairs
Murli Deora replaces Mani Shankar Aiyar in the ministry of oil and gas. Aiyar retains cabinet berth as in the ministry of panchayati raj (local self government)
Ambika Soni replaces Renuka Chowdhury in the ministry of tourism. Chowdhury moved to ministry of women and child affairs Saifuddin Soz, ministry of water resources
Vayalar Ravi, minister for overseas Indians affairs
Shibu Soren, ministry of coal

Elevated to cabinet rank

Kapil Sibal science and technology ministry
Santosh Mohan Deb ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises
Prem Chand Gupta, ministry of company affairs