Ministers and their Portfolios 2019

Ministers and their Portfolios in New Modi Government 2019: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new cabinet has several first-time ministers, who were sworn into office alongwith him in a grand oath ceremony in Delhi today. The most prominent first timer in PM Modi's cabinet is BJP president Amit Shah. 

Ministers and their Portfolios 2019:

Cabinet Ministers

1. Shri Narendra Modi

2. Shri Raj Nath Singh

3. Shri Amit Shah (first time)

4. Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari

5. Shri D. V. Sadananda Gowda

6. Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman

7. Shri Ramvilas Paswan

8. Shri Narendra Singh Tomar

9. Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad

10. Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal

11. Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlot

12. Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar

13. Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' (first time)

14. Shri Arjun Munda

15. Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani

16. Dr. Harsh Vardhan

17. Shri Prakash Javadekar

18. Shri Piyush Goyal

19. Shri Dharmendra Pradhan

20. Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

21. Shri Pralhad Joshi (first time)

22. Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey

23. Shri Arvind Ganpat Sawant

24. Shri Giriraj Singh

25. Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

Ministers of State (Independent Charge)

1. Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar

2. Rao Inderjit Singh

3. Shri Shripad Yesso Naik

4. Dr. Jitendra Singh

5. Shri Kiren Rijiju

6. Shri Prahalad Singh Patel

7. Shri Raj Kumar Singh

8. Shri Hardeep Singh Puri

9. Shri Mansukh L. Mandaviya

Ministers of State

1. Shri Faggansingh Kulaste

2. Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey

3. Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal

4. General (Retd.) V. K. Singh

5. Shri Krishan Pal

6. Shri Danve Raosaheb Dadarao

7. Shri G. Kishan Reddy

8. Shri Parshottam Rupala

9. Shri Ramdas Athawale

10. Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti

11. Shri Babul Supriyo

12. Shri Sanjeev Kumar Balyan

13. Shri Dhotre Sanjay Shamrao

14. Shri Anurag Singh Thakur

15. Shri Angadi Suresh Channabasappa (first time)

16. Shri Nityanand Rai

17. Shri. Rattan Lal Kataria (first time)

18. Shri V. Muraleedharan

19. Smt. Renuka Singh Saruta

20. Shri Som Parkash

21. Shri Rameswar Teli (first time)

22. Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi

23. Shri Kailash Choudhary (first time)

24. Deboshree Choudhury (first time)

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Jerusalem as Israel's capital: India votes against US at United Nations

India votes against US at United Nations. India joined 127 other countries to vote in the United Nations General Assembly in favour of a resolution opposing the recent decision of US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Nine countries voted against the resolution, while as many as 35 countries abstained. By a lopsided 128-9 vote, the diplomats gathered in New York City ignored U.S. objections and approved a resolution calling on countries to avoid moving their embassies to Jerusalem. Among the countries that voted in favor of the resolution are many traditional U.S. allies, including the United Kingdom, France and Canada. Israel, which celebrated Trump's decision earlier this month, joined the U.S. in voting against the measure.

United States President Donald Trump announced earlier this month his administration's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and begin the process of moving the U.S. Embassy to the disputed city. The move fulfilled a key campaign promise - but it also immediately set off a widespread backlash in countries across the world, who believe it would significantly undermine the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, who also claim Jerusalem as the capital of a prospective state.

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India's GDP growth rises to 6.3% in 2nd Quarter of 2017

India's GDP growth rises to 6.3% for the 2nd quarter of 2017-18. The latest GDP data released on 30th November 2017 shows a turnaround in the economy for the July-September quarter. The GDP grew 6.3 in the second quarter, which is 0.6 percent higher than the first quarter growth rate of 5.7 percent. In July-September, manufacturing, and electricity production increased substantially. Manufacturing growth rate jumped to 7 percent.Mining came in at 5.5 percent. Electricity, gas, water supply and utilities grew at 7.6 percent. Construction growth picked up by 0.6 percent to clock a rate of 2.6 percent. Trade, hotels, transport, services increased by nearly 10 percent.However, the growth rate of agriculture sector came in at 1.7 per cent which is a matter of concern.

Government believes that the Growth estimates could rise further after adjustments with complete data. The GDP results indicate that companies have adapted well to GST. Rating agency Moody's had earlier this month raised India's credit rating and indicated the Indian economy would grow by 6.7 percent this financial year, which would increase to 7.5 percent in 2018-19. All in all, the government's economic management is seeing results, on every level and is likely to see a further up tick in the coming days.

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NK Singh appointed chairman of 15th Finance Commission

Government on 27th November appointed former Planning Commission Member N K Singh as chairman of 15th Finance Commission, which among other things will look into impact of GST on finances of the Centre and states, said a notification. The commission will recommend devolution of shareable central taxes to the states and their inter-se distribution. The commission will also review several important aspects of federal fiscal finance. The commission will make recommendations, by October 2019, for five years commencing April 1, 2020, said the notification announcing the constitution of the panel. Other members of the commission, which is required to submit its report by October 2019, are former Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das and former Chief Economic Advisor Ashok Lahiri, Niti Aayog Member Ramesh Chand and Georgetown University professor Anoop Singh. The commission also suggests the principles which should govern the grants-in-aid of the revenues of the states out of the Consolidated Fund of India. 

N. K. Singh (Nand Kishore Singh) is a politician, economist and former Indian Administrative Service officer. He is a senior Member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since March 2014  after having served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha (2008-2014) from Bihar. He has been a senior bureaucrat, Member Planning Commission and handled assignments of Union Expenditure and Revenue Secretary and Additional Secretary Economic Affairs connected with International organisations like World Bank, IMF and UNDP. He was also Officer on Special Duty to Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee.

• 15th Finance Commission Chairman, Members, Report, Recommendations

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India sends 1st wheat shipment to Afghanistan via Chabahar port

India on 29th October began shipment of wheat to Afghanistan through the Iranian port of Chabahar. A press release from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that the consignment would be the first to use the new route via Chabahar to access Afghanistan, even as India plans similar transfers in the coming months.

The operationalisation of Chabahar will also boost India's efforts to conenct with resource-rich Central Asia and Russia.  The shipment is a part of commitment made by India to supply 1.1 million tonnes of wheat for the people of Afghanistan on grant basis, according to a MEA statement.  Six more wheat shipments will be sent to Afghanistan over the next few months. 

The use of Chabahar for wheat transhipment indicates the firming up of an alternative route to extend necessary support to Afghanistan, in the absence of overland transit rights by Pakistan. The move also indicates that Chahbahar that India has been developing for some years, will soon be fully operational. India had earlier sent goods through the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas in 2003 as Pakistan had not eased land access to Afghanistan.

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Catalans declare independence from spain

Catalan regional parliament has voted to declare independence from Spain, while the Spanish parliament has approved direct rule over the region. Catalan MPs easily approved the move amid an opposition boycott. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy had told senators direct rule was needed to return "law, democracy and stability" to Catalonia. The crisis began earlier this month when Catalonia held a controversial referendum on independence.

About Catalonia and Spain:

• Catalonia is a region in the northeastern extremity of the Iberian Peninsula. Its constitutional status is the subject of a dispute between the Kingdom of Spain, which views it as an autonomous community within Spain, and the Generalitat de Catalunya, which views it as an independent republic following a unilateral declaration of independence from Spain on 27 October 2017. 
• On October 5, the Constitutional Court of Spain suspended the Catalan parliamentary session on Monday, October 9, after Puigdemont said they would be pushing for a declaration of independence. 
• On October 10, Puigdemont signed a declaration of independence. On 22 October 2017, Catalans demonstrated against prime minister Mariano Rajoy's plan to impose direct rule. 
• On 27 October 2017, the Catalan parliament voted to declare independence. On the same day, the Senate of Spain voted to institute direct rule, via Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution.

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Ministers and their Portfolios on 3rd September 2017

Ministers and their Portfolios, Departments on 3rd September 2017 - Complete List:

Shri Narendra Modi

Prime Minister and also in-charge of: Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Department of Atomic Energy; Department of Space; and All important policy issues; and All other portfolios not allocated to any Minister.

CABINET MINISTERS

1.	Shri Raj Nath Singh	Minister of Home Affairs.
2.	Smt. Sushma Swaraj	Minister of External Affairs.
3.	Shri Arun Jaitley	Minister of Finance; and Minister of Corporate Affairs.
4.	Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari	Minister of Road Transport and Highways; Minister of Shipping; and Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
5.	Shri Suresh Prabhu	Minister of Commerce and Industry.
6.	Shri D.V. Sadananda Gowda	Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
7.	Sushri Uma Bharati	Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
8.	Shri Ramvilas Paswan	Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
9.	Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi	Minister of Women and Child Development.
10.	Shri Ananthkumar	Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers; and Minister of  Parliamentary Affairs.
11.	Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad	Minister of Law and Justice; and Minister of Electronics and Information Technology.
12.	Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda	Minister of Health and Family Welfare.
13.	Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati	Minister of Civil Aviation.
14.	Shri Anant Geete	Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
15.	Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal	Minister of Food Processing Industries.
16.	Shri Narendra Singh Tomar	Minister of Rural Development; Minister of Panchayati Raj; and Minister of Mines.
17.	Shri Chaudhary Birender Singh	Minister of Steel.
18.	Shri Jual Oram	Minister of Tribal Affairs.
19.	Shri Radha Mohan Singh	Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
20.	Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlot	Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment.
21.	Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani	Minister of Textiles; and Minister of Information and Broadcasting.
22.	Dr. Harsh Vardhan	Minister of Science and Technology; Minister of Earth Sciences; and Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
23.	Shri Prakash Javadekar	Minister of Human Resource Development.
24.	Shri Dharmendra Pradhan	Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas; and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
25.	Shri Piyush Goyal	Minister of Railways; and Minister of Coal.
26.	Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman	Minister of Defence.
27.	Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi	Minister of Minority Affairs.

MINISTERS OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)

1.	Rao Inderjit Singh		Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Planning; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
2.	Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar		Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
3.	Shri Shripad Yesso Naik		Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH).
4.	Dr. Jitendra Singh		Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office; Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy; and Minister of State in the Department of Space.
5.	Dr. Mahesh Sharma		Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Culture; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
6.	Shri Giriraj Singh		Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
7.	Shri Manoj Sinha		Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Communications; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways.
8.	Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore		Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
9.		Shri Raj Kumar Singh		Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Power; and Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
10.		Shri Hardeep Singh Puri		Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
11.		Shri Alphons Kannanthanam		Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Tourism; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

MINISTERS OF STATE

1.	Shri Vijay Goel	Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
2.	Shri Radhakrishnan P.	Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Shipping.
3.	Shri S.S. Ahluwalia	Minister of State in the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
4.	Shri Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi	Minister of State in the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
5.	Shri Ramdas Athawale	Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
6.	Shri Vishnu Deo Sai	Minister of State in the Ministry of Steel.
7.	Shri Ram Kripal Yadav	Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development.
8.	Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir	Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
9.	Shri Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary	Minister of State in the Ministry of Mines; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Coal.
10.	Shri Rajen Gohain	Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways.
11.	General (Retd.) V. K. Singh	Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs.
12.	Shri Parshottam Rupala	Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
13.	Shri Krishan Pal	Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
14.	Shri Jaswantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor	Minister of State in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
15.	Shri Shiv Pratap Shukla	Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance.
16.	Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey	Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
17.	Shri Sudarshan Bhagat	Minister of State in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
18.	Shri Upendra Kushwaha	Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
19.	Shri Kiren Rijiju	Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
20.	Dr. Virendra Kumar	Minister of State in the Ministry of Women and Child Development; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
21.	Shri Anantkumar Hegde	Minister of State in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
22.	Shri M. J. Akbar	Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs.
23.	Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti	Minister of State in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
24.	Shri Y. S. Chowdary	Minister of State in the Ministry of Science and Technology; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
25.	Shri Jayant Sinha	Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
26.	Shri Babul Supriyo	Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
27.	Shri Vijay Sampla	Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
28.	Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal	Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
29.	Shri Ajay Tamta	Minister of State in the Ministry of Textiles.
30.	Smt. Krishna Raj	Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
31.	Shri Mansukh  L. Mandaviya	Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways; Minister of State in the Ministry of Shipping; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
32.	Smt. Anupriya Patel	Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
33.	Shri C.R. Chaudhary	Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
34.	Shri P.P. Chaudhary	Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
35.	Dr. Subhash Ramrao Bhamre	Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence.
36.	Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat	Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
37.	Dr. Satya Pal Singh	Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Resource Development; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

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