Jitendra takes charge of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences ministries

New Delhi: Jitendra Singh took charge as the new Union Minister of Science and Technology as well as of Earth Sciences on Thursday.
Singh was on Wednesday allocated two new portfolios — the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Earth Sciences –with independent charge after a Union cabinet reshuffle.
Earlier in the day, he took charge of the Ministry of Science and Technology. Later Singh also took charge as the Earth Sciences minister at Prithvi Bhavan.
The two ministries are not new to Singh. He had held these two portfolios for a brief period in 2014 in the first term of the Narendra Modi government.
Singh, who is a Minister of State, in the Prime Minister’s Office also holds charge of the sensitive Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space. He is also an MoS in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
In a major Union Cabinet makeover, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday dropped 12 ministers and brought 36 new members to his government.
Apart from 15 Cabinet ministers, 28 Ministers of State, comprising new faces and those elevated, were sworn in a ceremony which was held in the Darbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.