Modi’s A-Team takes guard on a bouncy pitch
Home Affairs (New Entrant)
A key choice, indicating that issues like the Supreme Courtmandated National Register of Citizens, Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and Kashmir are on the agenda. In sync with the government’s tough stance against separatists in J&K and tough stand on terror with Pakistan. Assembly polls and the Amarnath yatra will be his first major challenges. A push for abrogation of Article 35A is certain
Nirmala Sitharaman| 59
Finance & Corporate Affairs (Earlier: Defence)
The former Jawaharlal Nehru University student breaks yet another glass ceiling, appointed India’s first full-time woman finance minister in what is seen as a reward for handling the defence ministry and countering opposition on the Rafale deal issue with a marathon speech in Parliament. Needs to immediately address concerns over economic slowdown and the non-banking financial companies crisis and get down to preparing the full budget
Rajnath Singh | 67
Defence (Earlier: Home)
Expected to carry forward defence reforms, modernisation and acquisitions. Did a competent job in Home, but MHA is now being given a sharper political focus
S Jaishankar | 64
External Affairs (New Entrant)
The biggest surprise in this government’s formation, the former foreign secretary is expected to play a crucial role in steering India past US-China and US-Russia frictions and help with the Prime Minister’s vision of building alliances across the world. Will drive trade talks with the US and Asia-Pacific countries. His domain knowledge in dealing with China should help keep ties stable and improve cooperation, in keeping with the Wuhan spirit
Piyush Goyal | 54
Railways, Commerce & Industry(Earlier: Railways)
Along with railways, tasked with revitalising investment in economy and trade. Also restores power equations between finance & commerce ministries. Gets a thumbs up from BJP brass
Nitin Gadkari | 62
Road Transport, MSME (Earlier: Road, Shipping, Water Resources & Ganga)
The Nagpur MP gets additional charge of the job-generating small-scale sector, which many feel has been ignored and continues to suffer from the impact of demonetisation and GST. The additional charge comes on the back of his performance in building highways, where the pace of award and construction increased. Seen to have a sound understanding of entrepreneurial finance, having run businesses himself, and can network with other ministries and industry. Gadkari is credited with a can-do approach that helped get stalled road projects moving. He sorted out difficult log-jams in contracts with private operators that had become a bone of contention. He is now expected to adopt a sympathetic approach to problems of finance and viability that small businesses face, particularly in the face of new aggregators with their aggressive e-commerce models
Smriti Irani | 43
Women & Child Development, Textiles
(Earlier: Textiles)
The hero of Amethi gets women and child development too. Key issues include fixing anganwadi programme, malnutrition targets and getting anti-trafficking bill passed by the Lok Sabha. She is expected to continue the textiles ministry’s focus on linking weavers and craftsmen with buyers
Ravi Shankar Prasad| 64
Law & Justice, IT ( Earlier: Law & Justice, Communications & IT)
After his win from Patna Sahib, the lawyer returns to the communications ministry. A level field for telecom companies is among the top items for the industry, while consumers still complain of poor call and data quality. He also has the task of promoting the Postal Bank while pursuing judicial reforms in law and justice. Needs to ensure smooth relations with judiciary. Regulation of tech platforms, boosting local manufacturing of electronic goods will be on the table
Prakash Javadekar | 68
Environment, I&B ( Earlier: HRD)
Gets back his old charges after a successful stint as HRD minister. He is expected to build on his work in making green clearances more transparent and faster. He will take up where he left on global climate change negotiations and work on issues relating to sustainable forestry in the light of faster urbanisation. Tackling air pollution and meeting India’s national climate change targets will be top priority. Expected to liaise with media using his long experience as BJP national spokesperson
Narendra Singh Tomar | 62
Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Mines, Parliamentary Affairs
( Earlier: Agriculture, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj)
A big confidence vote for the Madhya Pradesh leader, who has been tasked with modernising farming through crop diversification and investment, which have been lagging. His ministry has to work closely with the states to implement schemes such as PM-Kisan, whose scope has been expanded. In Parliament, he will need to work across the aisles despite NDA’s big majority given the ability of the opposition to stall
Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ | 59
Human Resource Development ( New entrant)
Back from the political wilderness, the former Uttarakhand chief minister will get the chance to redeem his image in a crucial ministry. Revision of curriculum (a priority of the Sangh Parivar), regulating private higher education and greater autonomy for top state universities are on the HRD ministry’s to-do list
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References
- ^ Amit Shah (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ Nirmala Sitharaman (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ Rajnath Singh (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ Piyush Goyal (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ Nitin Gadkari (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ Ravi Shankar Prasad (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ climate change (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ Narendra Singh Tomar (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
from India News | Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India - Times of India http://bit.ly/2wvt6y7
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