Modi’s top ministers retain portfolios

Key cabinet ministers in the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government have retained the portfolios they held in the previous term. 

The decision taken by the prime minister signals continuity as the ministers will take forward the policies and the schemes from the previous government.

Defense minister Rajnath Singh, home minister Amit Shah, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari are among top BJP ministers who have retained their portfolios. 

Ashwini Vaishnaw, who was the railways and IT minister in the previous Modi government, also heads the ministry of information and broadcasting in the current government. 

The minister for ports, shipping and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has also retained the portfolio.

Jyotiraditya Scindia, who served as minister for civil aviation and steel in the previous government, will lead the communications ministry as cabinet minister. Besides, he has also been given charge of developing the north eastern region. 

Piyush Goyal has been retained as minister of commerce and industry but has lost consumer affairs, food and public distribution, and textiles that he held in his previous tenure.

Dharmendra Pradhan has retained the education ministry. 

Besides these, BJP president JP Nadda also returned as a minister. Nadda had served in the first Modi government and has this time been made the health minister. 

Among new central ministers is former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who has been given the charge of housing and urban affairs, and ministry of power. 

Former Karnataka chief minister H. D. Kumaraswamy, a leader of the Janata Dal (Secular), has been given charge of ministries of heavy industries and steel. 

Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has been given charge of the ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises.

Check the full list of Union ministers and their portfolios here.