Tag: Cabinet revamp

Cabinet reshuffle: Law minister Prasad, health minister Dr Vardhan quit; experts discuss

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The much-anticipated Cabinet expansion, the first since Prime Minister Modi won a second term 2 years ago, is expected on July 7. The strength of the new Cabinet would stand at 78, including the Prime Minister. BJP allies would account for 4 of them.

Ahead of the reshuffle, a dozen ministers have tendered their resignations. Law and IT minister Ravi Sankar Prasad, who also hold the telecom portfolio, has resigned. Health minister Harsh Vardhan and his Deputy Ashwini Chaube have quit the Cabinet as well.

Education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal is also out along with labour minister Santosh Gangwar and fertilisers minister Sadananda Gowda. Environment and information broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar has also quit the Cabinet

Several other ministers of state such as Babul Supriyo and Debasree Chaudhuri have aslo resigned. The reshuffle and expansion exercise is intended to send out a political message ahead of the upcoming crucial state elections. Former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, along with former chief ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Narayan Rane, Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar will also be inducted.

To discuss this, CNBC-TV18 spoke to Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Exec Chairperson of Biocon; AK Bhattacharya, Editorial Director of Business Standard; Saba Naqvi, Senior Journalist; and Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman of India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA).

Talking about big exits, AK Bhattacharya said, “At a certain level, I do see a kind of an overhaul of economic ministries barring the finance ministry almost virtually every other key economic ministries has been looked at. If you look at health and education, these are not economic ministries but I think they were very key social sector ministries, which required a greater impetus of focus.”

“The government in its second tenure has decided to give it a fresh look to its economic team at the helm that is number one. Number two, what I see is that it is preparing for elections for the next year. There are five important assembly elections, but the important takeaway for me is the way the finance ministry has been strengthened, you are seeing department of public enterprises being put under the finance ministry so you may see a minister for public enterprises under the finance ministry, which is a key signal that the government means when it says that it wants to privatise the public sector units.”

On health ministry, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw said, “I think the health ministry does need revamping. I do believe that there has been a lot of criticism in terms of the way the health ministry has gone about managing COVID and we have seen a lot of concerns and voices raised about many aspects of COVID management including the oxygen requirement, shortage of ventilators and of course the whole vaccination process the way it has been sort of mishandled.”

“I really think we do need a refresh button to be pressed and that is what the Prime Minister has done across the board. I do believe that India needs to now urgently get back on to economic revival and I think this time around I hope that industry gets it fair share of attention.”

Speaking about exit of Ravi Shankar Prasad, Pankaj Mohindroo said, “In the competition of nations, India has lagged behind. In 1990, our per capita income was almost on a par with China. Today we are one-fifth, so obviously there is a lot of restlessness in the nation and among the people. This is something the recast he wants to do is to propel the governance in a manner that there is more electric charge in the governance.”

“Ravi Shankar Prasad has IT minister for seven years and lot has been accomplished in these seven years. But, I think this sector is so large – and can’t comment on why he has chosen to resign, but I am sure he has any new assignments in store for him.”

For full interview, watch accompanying video…

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Cabinet reshuffle: A look at probable composition of Modi’s new team

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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As many as 43 leaders are expected to take oath as Union Ministers in the Cabinet expansion, to be held on Wednesday evening. Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sarbananda Sononwal, Narayan Rane were some of the leaders who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Cabinet reshuffle.

Also, ministers Hardeep Puri, Anurag Thakur, Mansukh Mandaviya, Purshottam Rupala, G Kishan Reddy were seen at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg hinting at their possible elevation. There have been a series of resignations that include the names of Ramesh Pokhriyal, Santosh Gangwar, Debasree Choudhari, Raosaheb Danve Patil among others.

Here’s the probable composition of the new Cabinet

Caste composition

– 12 ministers are likely from the Scheduled Caste community
– 8 ministers from the Scheduled Tribe community
– 27 from Other Backward Classes
– 5 ministers from minorities – Muslim -1, Sikh -1, Christian-1, Buddhists – 2
– 29 ministers from other communities

Women representation

11 women ministers, including two in the Union Cabinet.

Age and experience

– The average age of the entire council will be 58 years after the reshuffle.

– 14 ministers will be below 50 years of age including 6 Cabinet Ministers

In terms of experience, 46 ministers with experience of being Central Ministers, 23 who have been MPs for three or more terms

– Four former Chief Ministers
– 8 former ministers in state governments
– 39 former MLAs

Professionals

Lawyers – 13
Doctors – 6
Engineers – 5
Civil servants – 7

Ministers will be from 25 states and union territories, including five from North East.

For live updates on Cabinet reshuffle, click here

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Jyotiraditya Scindia, Pashupati Paras, Sarbananda Sonowal others meet PM Modi ahead of Cabinet reshuffle

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Ahead of the Union Cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday evening, several leaders – who are probable candidates for a ministerial berth – were seen at Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg in the national capital.

Some of these leaders include Jyotiraditya Scindia, Narayan Rane, Sarbananda Sonowal among others were seen at the Prime Minister’s residence. Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda were present at the meeting with the probable candidates. Also, junior ministers Anurag Thakur, G Kishan Reddy, Purshottam Rupala were also at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, hinting at a probable elevation in the Modi Cabinet.

Here is the list of leaders who met the Prime Minister

1. Jyotiraditya Scindia, BJP
2. Sarbananda Sonowal, BJP
3. Bhupender Yadav, BJP
4. Anurag Thakur, BJP
5. Meenakshi Lekhi, BJP
6. Anupriya Patel, Apna Dal
7. Ajay Bhatt, BJP
8. Shobha Karandjale, BJP
9. Sunita Duggal, BJP
10.  Santanu Thakur, BJP
11.  Narayan Rane, BJP
12.  Kapil Patil, BJP
13.  Pashupati Kumar Paras, LJP
14.  RCP Singh, JDU
15.  G Krishan Reddy, BJP
16.  Purshottam Rupala, BJP

According to a report by CNN-News18, eight ministers are likely from ST community, 12 from SC community and 27 from OBC. The Cabinet expansion comes ahead of the Assembly polls in five scheduled for early next year — Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur.

The report said the average age of the new Cabinet will be 58 years and 14 ministers will be below 50 years of age including 6 Cabinet ministers. In terms of experience, 46 ministers with experience of being Central ministers and 23 who have been MPs for three or more terms.

PM Modi had conducted a review of the performance of various ministers during the COVID-19 lockdown. Some ministers are expected to lose their posts due to poor performance while others may be promoted, sources said.

For live updates on Cabinet reshuffle, click here

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

FAQs | What is a cabinet reshuffle; age and qualification requirements of ministers?

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet is expected to see 18 new faces in the long-awaited reshuffle. BJP leaders — new and old, young and veterans –, as well as allies, will be accommodated in key roles. The national capital is abuzz with activity, VIP arrivals, meetings, and much more.

Here are all your questions answered about the Cabinet reshuffle

What is the difference between Cabinet reshuffle and expansion?

A Cabinet reshuffle refers to shifting portfolios from ministers for a variety of reasons —performance of the ministers, accommodating allies, promoting leaders who have performed well, expertise, and even reduce the executive burden or to streamline it.

During expansion, the size of the Union Cabinet is enhanced with the addition of new ministers. Additional ministers may be inducted into the Cabinet at three ranks — senior ministers, junior ministers, and deputy ministers. An expansion in the Union Cabinet is always accompanied by a reshuffling of responsibilities, as new members need new portfolios to handle.

Senior ministers are referred to as ‘Cabinet Ministers’ and are responsible for leading a Ministry of the government. Junior ministers are inducted as either ‘Minister of State (Independent charge)’ or as ‘Minister of State (MoS)’. An MoS Independent charge does not report to any Cabinet Minister, as there is no associated ministry for their portfolio. An MoS on the other hand reports to a Cabinet Minister, as they are tasked with specific responsibility within a Ministry.

Is there a Constitutional limit on the size of the Union Cabinet or at the state level?

The 91st Amendment to the Constitution on July 7, 2004, introduced Article 75 (1A) of the Constitution. Under Article 75 (1A), it is clearly stated that the Union Council of Ministers cannot exceed more than 15 percent of the number of MPs in the Lok Sabha. The number of MPs in the Lok Sabha is 545, which brings the maximum number of Ministers in the Union Cabinet to 81 (rounded down).

Similarly, in the case of the Council of Ministers at every state level, Article 164 (1A), which was introduced in the same Amendment, stated that the number of Ministers in the council cannot be greater than 15 percent of the number of members in the state assembly, and cannot be lower than 12.

What is the current composition of the Union Cabinet? 

There are 23 Cabinet ministers or senior ministers, including the Prime Minister, nine Ministers of State (Independent Charge), and 29 Ministers of State.

Is there an age bar or any qualification to become a minister?

While there are no age bars for Ministers in the Union Cabinet, every minister in the Cabinet has to be a member of the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, either at the time of appointment or within six months of their appointment. In order to become a member of the Rajya Sabha, an individual must be a citizen of India and higher than 30 years of age. For Lok Sabha members, they must be above the age of 25.

Are there any quotas for different castes, women or others?

There are no quotas for any protected status in the Union Cabinet. The ministers are, at least in theory, chosen based on merit and their capabilities.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Union Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot appointed as Karnataka Governor ahead of Cabinet reshuffle

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Ahead of the imminent Cabinet reshuffle, President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday appointed Thaawarchand Gehlot as Governor of Karnataka. Gehlot was the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment.

“President Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have shown faith in me and have appointed me as Karnataka Governor. I’ll live up to their expectation and do my job faithfully. I’ll try to resolve the issues within constitutional limits and with discussions,” Gehlot said.

Former BJP MP Hari Babu Kambhampati is appointed as the Governor of Mizoram; Gujarat BJP leader Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel as the Governor of Madhya Pradesh; and Goa BJP leader Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh.

Mizoram Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai has been appointed as the Goa Governor; Haryana Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya is now the Tripura Governor. Tripura Governor Ramesh Bais is being appointed as Jharkhand Governor and Himachal Pradesh Governor Bandaru Dattatraya has been appointed as the Haryana Governor.

The Cabinet reshuffle is likely to happen this week. BJP leaders Sushil Modi, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sarbananda Sonowal are likely candidates to be inducted into the Cabinet. The Cabinet can have a maximum of 81 ministers. A minimum of 18 ministers are likely to be inducted into the cabinet after July 7, sources said. This will be the first reshuffle of PM Modi’s second term, which started in May 2019.

In 2019, there were 57 ministers — 24 cabinet rank (reduced to 21 after the Shiv Sena delinked and Ram Vilas Paswan passed away), nine ministers of state with independent charge, and 24 ministers of state.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Australian foreign minister resigns amid Cabinet revamp

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop resigned from new Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Cabinet on Sunday, two days after a bruising leadership battle that toppled former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and led to a major ministerial shake-up.

Bishop announced she would move to the backbench and had not yet decided whether to contest the next election, which is due by May 2019. That decision could have serious implications for Morrison’s government, which has a parliamentary majority of only one seat.

She had been foreign minister since 2013 and was replaced by former defence minister Marise Payne in the new Cabinet line-up announced by Morrison after Bishop resigned.

Morrison replaced Turnbull in a party-room vote after a week of political chaos in Canberra that marked the emergence of Australia’s sixth prime minister in less than 10 years.

He took over as leader of the Liberal Party, the senior partner in a Liberal-National coalition that has consistently trailed the opposition Labor party in opinion polls in recent months.

Bishop contested Friday’s leadership vote but was eliminated in the first round, with Morrison then emerging as a surprise compromise winner over Peter Dutton, Turnbull’s conservative challenger who brought the leadership crisis to a head earlier in the week.

“I will remain on the backbench as a strong voice for Western Australia,” Bishop said in a statement soon after she arrived back in her home state.

BY-ELECTION CONCERN

The possibility that Bishop could leave parliament before the next election will be a major concern for Morrison, Turnbull’s former treasurer, because it opens the possibility of another by-election being held for her seat.

His party will already have to contest a by-election for Turnbull’s harbourside electorate in Sydney, traditionally a safe Liberal seat. Turnbull’s resignation from parliament was expected in the coming week.

Morrison’s new Cabinet includes former Turnbull loyalist Christopher Pyne as the new defence minister.

Dutton, whose first challenge on Tuesday sparked the crisis that ultimately toppled Turnbull, returns as home affairs minister in an apparent attempt by Morrison to rebuild unity in his badly bruised party.

However, his portfolio will no longer include immigration, a politically sensitive issue in Australia because of the hardline approach taken by successive governments against asylum seekers who attempt to arrive illegally.

That policy includes the detention of asylum-seekers on remote Pacific islands such as Nauru, a policy that has had bipartisan support but which has been harshly criticised by the United Nations and human rights groups.

Morrison had already announced his Liberal deputy Josh Frydenberg, the former energy minister, would take over as treasurer. He said Angus Taylor, a Dutton supporter, would be the new energy minister.

Senator Mathias Cormann, one of several senior ministers who had pledged their loyalty to Turnbull before turning on him, will return as finance minister in Morrison’s new Cabinet.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow