The Hindu Business Line : M.S. Gill, Scindia among 7 inducted

New role: Mr M.S. Gill being sworn in by the President, Ms Pratibha Patil, during a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Sunday. - V. Sudershan

Our Bureau

New Delhi, April 6 In a Cabinet expansion that is expected to be the last before the Parliamentary elections next year, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Sunday inducted seven members including Mr Jyotiraditya Scindia and Mr Jitin Prasada, both members of the Congress Youth brigade, into the Union Council of Ministers from which six Ministers of State were dropped.

The former Chief Election Commissioner, Mr M.S.Gill, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab on a Congress ticket, has been made Minister of State with independent charge. He would hold the portfolio of Sports and Youth Affairs. All the other six ministers inducted today are Ministers of State.

Three other Congress MPs — Mr V. Narayanasamy, Mr Rameshwar Oraon and Mr Santosh Bagrodia and RJD member Mr Raghunath Jha were also sworn in as ministers at a function held in the Rashtrapathi Bhawan in the evening.

The new ministers were administered the oath of office and secrecy by the President, Ms Pratibha Patil. The function was attended by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, the Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, and senior Cabinet Ministers.

The Prime Minister has also effected certain changes in portfolios of the existing Ministers.

Mr Vayalar Ravi, who is a Cabinet Minister handling Overseas Indian affairs , will also be in charge of Parliamentary Affairs. Mr Priyaranjan Dasmunshi would hold only the portfolio of Information and Broadcasting.

Mr Jairam Ramesh, who is now Minister of State for Commerce, would hold additional charge of Power. Mr B. K.Handique, who is also Minister of State, will have additional charge of Mines.

The six Ministers of State who resigned from the Government were Mr Suresh Pachouri (Personnel), Mr Dasari Narayan Rao (Coal), Mr M. V. Rajasekharan (Planning), Mr T Subbirami Reddy (Mines), Mr Akhilesh Das (Steel) and Mr Manikrao Gavit (Home).

The President has accepted their resignations with immediate effect.

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