PM Modi inducts 7 new women ministers in the cabinet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inducted seven new women ministers today as part of his cabinet reshuffle. The Modi 2.0 cabinet has now 11 women ministers, one short of former PM Manmohan Singh's record of 12 women ministers.

Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inducted seven new women ministers today as part of his cabinet reshuffle. The Modi 2.0 cabinet has now 11 women ministers, one short of former PM Manmohan Singh's record of 12 women ministers. Among the new women ministers, Apna Dal's Anupriya Patel has joined the PM Modi's cabinet after a gap of two years. The remaining six women ministers will take charge of respective portfolios for the first time in their careers.

Shobha Karandlaje represents Udupi Chikmagalur Lok Sabha Constituency as a Lok Sabha MP and has a fiery reputation for defending the party across several issues. Darshana Jardosh represents the powerful Surat Lok Sabha constituency of Gujarat and has retained the seat three consecutive times since 2009. She is also driving a campaign for an international airport in Surat to boast the diamond trade in the city.

Meenakshi Lekhi has become a well-known name in the country for her Television debates and well-articulated speeches and debates in the parliament. She brings her wide gamut of experiences including serving as Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Undertakings, and the National Commission for Women.

The other three names include Annapurna Devi Yadav, who is Koderma, Jharkhand BJP Lok Sabha MP. Pratima Bhoumik, BJP MP representing Tripura West and doctor turned politician, Dr Bharati Pawar, who represents Dindori Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra.

Besides the newly inducted women ministers, four existing women ministers include Nirmala Sitharaman, the Finance Minister. Smriti Irani handles the Ministry of Textiles, Renuka Singh is the Minister of State of Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti is Minister of State in Ministry of Rural Development.

Besides the appointment of 7 new women ministers, Debasree Chaudhuri was dropped from the cabinet. She was the Minister of State in the Ministry of Women and Child Development. All the women ministers, except Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will be allotted new ministries.