Editor's Pick | PM Modi signals continuity, no change of guard in key portfolios

As the new NDA government takes charge, there is no change of guard in key portfolios. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has largely retained his top lieutenants in key Ministries, according to the list announced on June 10. This is even as the BJP needs to rely on key allies to form the government, having failed to secure an absolute majority. All four Ministries that are part of the Cabinet Committee on Security, an important body within the Union Cabinet, saw the return of their Ministers from the previous NDA government – with Amit Shah as Home Minister, Rajnath Singh as Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman as Finance Minister and S. Jaishankar as Minister of External Affairs. Infrastructure Ministries also saw little change. Nitin Gadkari will be in charge of Road Transport and Highways, Sarbananda Sonowal in charge of Shipping and Ports. Ashwini Vaishnaw will be in charge of Railways, along with Information Technology and Information and Broadcasting. Jyotiraditya Scindia has secured the Telecom Ministry, in a seeming leg-up from the previous term. Aviation, meanwhile, was handed to Ram Mohan Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). This portfolio was with TDP in the first Modi government, with Ashok Gajapati Raju holding the charge. Former Chief Ministers newly sworn in as Ministers received important portfolios. Former Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar got the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry while former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan was handed the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development. Meanwhile, Virender Kumar has been retained with the Social Justice portfolio, and has to tackle multiple calls for a caste census, both from outside and within the NDA government. Arunachal Pradesh MP Kiren Rijiju, who has a reputation for good rapport with members from across the political spectrum, has been appointed Minister for Parliamentary. Mr. Rijiju, a Buddhist, is also in charge of the Minority Affairs Ministry. Among allies too, portfolio allocation has maintained continuity. Bihar MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’ has been given the portfolio of Panchayati Raj, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry, earlier held by Giriraj Singh, a BJP MP also from Bihar. H.D. Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal (S) was handed the portfolio of Heavy Industries and Steel, held by the Shiv Sena before their split with the BJP. Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi will be the Cabinet Minister for Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs), while Chirag Paswan holds the Food Processing Ministry once held by his father, the late Ram Vilas Paswan. Other BJP Ministers include C.R. Paatil, in charge of Ministry of Jal Shakti, Dharmendra Pradhan again in charge of Education, Arjun Ram Meghwal again in charge of Law while Pralhad Joshi has been moved to Food, Civil Supplies and Renewable Energy. The Hindu’s Editorials For plurality: On CSDS-Lokniti’s post-poll survey Master of three: On the French Open The Hindu’s Daily Quiz What is the name of Ghulam Nabi Azad’s party? Jammu and Kashmir Azad Party Democratic Progressive Azad Party Democratic Azad Party Democratic Jammu and Kashmir Party To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 11 June 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 11 June 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( PM Modi signals continuity, no change of guard in key portfolios As the new NDA government takes charge, there is no change of guard in key portfolios. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has largely retained his top lieutenants in key Ministries, [according to the list announced]( June 10. This is even as the BJP needs to rely on key allies to form the government, having [failed to secure]( an absolute majority. All four Ministries that are part of the Cabinet Committee on Security, an important body within the Union Cabinet, saw the return of their Ministers from the previous NDA government – with Amit Shah as Home Minister, Rajnath Singh as Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman as Finance Minister and S. Jaishankar as Minister of External Affairs. Infrastructure Ministries also saw little change. Nitin Gadkari will be in charge of Road Transport and Highways, Sarbananda Sonowal in charge of Shipping and Ports. Ashwini Vaishnaw will be in charge of Railways, along with Information Technology and Information and Broadcasting. Jyotiraditya Scindia has secured the Telecom Ministry, in a seeming leg-up from the previous term. Aviation, meanwhile, was handed to Ram Mohan Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). This portfolio was with TDP in the first Modi government, with Ashok Gajapati Raju holding the charge. Former Chief Ministers newly sworn in as Ministers received important portfolios. Former Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar got the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry while former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan was handed the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development. Meanwhile, Virender Kumar has been retained with the Social Justice portfolio, and has to tackle multiple calls for a caste census, both from outside and within the NDA government. Arunachal Pradesh MP Kiren Rijiju, who has a reputation for good rapport with members from across the political spectrum, has been appointed Minister for Parliamentary. Mr. Rijiju, a Buddhist, is also in charge of the Minority Affairs Ministry. Among allies too, portfolio allocation has maintained continuity. Bihar MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’ has been given the portfolio of Panchayati Raj, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry, earlier held by Giriraj Singh, a BJP MP also from Bihar. H.D. Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal (S) was handed the portfolio of Heavy Industries and Steel, held by the Shiv Sena before their split with the BJP. Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi will be the Cabinet Minister for Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs), while Chirag Paswan holds the Food Processing Ministry once held by his father, the late Ram Vilas Paswan. Other BJP Ministers include C.R. Paatil, in charge of Ministry of Jal Shakti, Dharmendra Pradhan again in charge of Education, Arjun Ram Meghwal again in charge of Law while Pralhad Joshi has been moved to Food, Civil Supplies and Renewable Energy. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][For plurality: On CSDS-Lokniti’s post-poll survey]( [Arrow][Master of three: On the French Open]( The Hindu’s Daily Quiz What is the name of Ghulam Nabi Azad’s party? - Jammu and Kashmir Azad Party - Democratic Progressive Azad Party - Democratic Azad Party - Democratic Jammu and Kashmir Party To know the answer and to play the full quiz,[click here](. [Sign up for free]( Today’s Best Reads [[A push for more climate action] A push for more climate action]( [[Why India needs a third aircraft carrier] Why India needs a third aircraft carrier]( [[From warp speed to reset, the state of India-U.S. ties] From warp speed to reset, the state of India-U.S. ties]( [[PM Modi signals continuity in portfolio allocation, reposes trust in old team as many of them retain departments] PM Modi signals continuity in portfolio allocation, reposes trust in old team as many of them retain departments]( Copyright© 2024, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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