Sticking to his pledge for “minimum government, maximum governance”, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has constituted a 46-member cabinet, down from 71 members during the Congress government’s tenure.
Modi has reduced numbers by combining ministries to curb inefficiencies and move towards an effective delivery of governance. He has asked his ministers to work on their agendas for the first 100 days and help build confidence in the bureaucracy, increase transparency and boost education, infrastructure and health projects.
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Ravi Shankar Prasad was appointed as the minister of law and justice, and also communications and information technology. Prasad is a senior advocate of the Supreme Court of India and prior to that practised at Patna High Court. From 2001 to 2004, under prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prasad was minister of state for law and justice, coal and mines, and information and broadcasting.
Arun Jaitley took on the role of minister of finance, corporate affairs, and defence. An experienced lawyer and former additional solicitor general who has appeared before India’s Supreme Court and various high courts, Jaitley has also led the Ministry of Law and Justice in the past.
India’s new home affairs minister is Raj Nath Singh, with Sushma Swaraj handling the portfolio of external affairs, and overseas Indian affairs.
Nitin Jairam Gadkari assumed the role of minister of road transport and highways, as well as minister of shipping. Other ministers include: Venkaiah Naidu (parliamentary affairs); Kalraj Mishra (micro, small and medium enterprises); Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati (civil aviation); and Narendra Singh Tomar (mines, steel, and labour and employment). Gopinathrao Munde was sworn in as minister for rural development, panchayati raj and drinking water and sanitation, but died just days afterwards in a car accident in New Delhi.
For more on the Narendra Modi government, see Cover story (page 13).
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