Newly appointed ministers have started to take charge of their offices, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following the issue of a press communique on allocation of ministries released by the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his day by visiting the South Block, and taking charge at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was also an early bird who took charge of her office as she had to join the prime minister at Hyderabad House where Modi is meeting the eight heads of state of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations.
Arun Jaitley assumed charge as Finance Minister at the North Block office and said, "I am conscious of the fact that I am taking the charge at a very challenging time and hence we have to restore back the pace of growth and control inflation." Commenting on his dual responsibility of holding the Defence Ministry, he said, "The balancing act has to be done. I will be looking after the Ministry of Defence till there is expansion in the cabinet."
Railways Minister Sadananda Gowda, after taking charge at the Rail Bhavan, said, "There are many issues like the development of the infrastructure, security measure which are to be taken care of. All these things will be studied in detail and further steps will be taken. It is a big responsibility that we need to take care of."
Sudarshan Swagat who took charge as Minister of State (MoS) for Social Justice and Empowerment ministry remarked, "We will try that our policies reach out to rural people and backward classes. It is our first priority to ensure justice for people from lower classes. This is a challenge and we accept it."
Assuming Minority Affairs Ministry, Najma Heptullah said, "We have to work harder as people have become very hopeful now. We have to bridge the development gap. I will look at the priorities of the ministry. I will also talk to Modi and seek his suggestions." She said that she was not in favour of reservation for the minorities personally. "Development is a solution not reservation. We have to compete with educational and economic backwardness," Heptullah said.
Meanwhile other prominent leaders who has assumed charge of their ministries are Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati taking charge of Civil Aviation Ministry.
Similarly, Gopinath Munde has taken charge as Rural Development Minister and said, "I was a member of Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti. I started from village to cities. If a village life will be strong, than cities will become strong. Now our responsible is to do good work."
Thawar Chand Gehlot after assuming Social Justice and Employment Ministry said: "I can say that Congress has ruled the village and different regions and now we will free people of there rule and problems created by them. Whatever problems have been there we have always been examining them. We will now fix some accountability. Our aim is fixed that development of poor people should take place."
Narendra Modi was administered the oath of office and secrecy by President Pranab Mukherjee as India's 15th Prime Minister along with his 44-member Cabinet on Monday evening.
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