IT Desk
Imphal, July 7:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mega cabinet reshuffle, the first in his second term, will be announced today at 6 pm. According to top government sources, the new cabinet will be the youngest ever in India’s history.
Interestingly, Several ministers including Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar have resigned from the Union Cabinet, sources said hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mega reshuffle, agency source said.
Mr Pokhriyal and Mr Gangwar have reportedly given health reasons in their resignation letters.
The agency source said that BJP leaders Sarbananda Sonowal, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Narayan Rane, all of whom are being seen as probable for induction as ministers in the Modi government, are at PM’s residence.
There has been talk going around about the induction Manipur’s MP Dr. RK Ranjan in the Ministry. Source however could not be verified at the moment. But it is assumed that Manipur being one of the key state of the BJP government, Narendra Modi may likely induct Dr. RK Ranjan in the Ministry.
It added that the average age of the new ministers to be inducted will be the lowest ever after the revamp, there will be more women ministers and special representation will be given to those who have administrative experience.
“Overall two dozen OBCs (Other Backward Class) will be represented. The plan is to involve the smaller communities,”
The average education will also be higher, with “PhDs, MBAs, post-graduates and professionals”.
Special focus will be on each state and even region in states, the sources said. Most importantly, the changes are likely to factor in polls in five states next year and the 2024 national election.
There is speculation that a few more ministers are on their way out, on the basis of a detailed performance review by the PM and top leaders over the past few weeks.
The average age will be the lowest ever after the revamp, there will be more women ministers and special representation will be given to those who have administrative experience, sources said.
Ahead of the expansion, PM Modi’s government on Tuesday created a new ‘Ministry of Cooperation’, looking to provide more heft to the cooperative movement in the country.
The Union Cabinet, which can have 81 members, currently has 53 ministers. This means 28 ministers can be added.
PM Modi is making changes to his cabinet for the first time since he started his second term in 2019.
(with input from agencies and national media)
