Source: Hueiyen News Service
New Delhi, May 23 2009:
A day after Manmohan Singh was sworn in for a second consecutive five-year term as Prime Minister along with 19 other Cabinet ministers, the allocation of portfolios began on Saturday.
The External Affairs Ministry has been allotted to SM Krishna, while Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has been made the new Railway Minister.
Pranab Mukherjee would be seen in a new role as the country's Finance Minister -- a portfolio he held 25 years ago-while P Chidambaram would continue to hold charge of the Home Ministry.
AK Antony too would continue to be the Defence Minister.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar has also retained the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution.
The allocation of six portfolios came just hours after the new Union Cabinet met at the PM's residence-7, Race Course Road - and decided to convene the 15th Lok Sabha's first session from June 1-9 .
SM Krishna and Mamata Banerjee are the two new entrants in Dr Singh's Cabinet, which was sworn in yesterday.
The 76-year-old economist-politician was sworn in along with senior members of his previous team, Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram, Sharad Pawar and AK Antony.
The 19 ministers, all of Cabinet rank, include Ghulam Nabi Azad, Veerappa Moily, new entrant Rajasthan PCC chief CP Joshi and Anand Sharma and BK Handique, who were promoted from the previous ministry.
Others inducted were S Jaipal Reddy, Kamal Nath, Vayalar Ravi, Meira Kumar, Murli Deora, Kapil Sibal, Ambika Soni and Sushil Kumar Shinde.
Failure of negotiations with southern ally, DMK, over the number of slots and portfolios resulted in only 19 ministers taking oath from the President.
Another group of ministers, probably a larger one, is expected to be sworn-in on Tuesday.
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