NEW DELHI: A day after all members of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s council of ministers got their portfolios, many attended office yesterday to familiarize themselves with their ministries while those who retained their old jobs reviewed their unfinished agenda.
The 78-member three-tier ministry, which Singh described as a mix of energy and experience, has been asked to set benchmarks. United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi stressed that everyone would be judged by their performance.
Among the first to take charge were Kapil Sibal as Minister of Human Resource Development (HRD), Petroleum Minister Murli Deora and Minister of State for Petroleum Jitin Prasada. Others who took charge were Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor.
After taking over, Sibal told the media that policies began during the last five years would continue with modifications “as required.”
Vayalar Ravi, who retains charge of the Overseas Indian Affairs Ministry, got down to business straight away, saying his immediate task was to protect the Indians in Australia after a spate of allegedly racial attacks this week. He said the government was seriously considering “an institutionalized mechanism” to prevent racist attacks on Indians abroad.
Murli Deora, who retains the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry, announced a new scheme for distribution of liquefied petroleum gas in villages.
Kamal Nath, who now heads the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, said regulations covering India’s road network will be overhauled and promised to change the physical landscape of the country’s transport infrastructure. “We need to look at the old regulatory framework in an entirely new way and that will call for a complete change of mindset. We are looking at new models,” Kamal Nath said.
Sharma, promoted to the Cabinet, said India will maintain its exports at $160 billion for the current fiscal and unveil steps in the coming budget to help the sector.
