Cabinet expansion: Union Cabinet, Council of Ministers expected to meet today

New Delhi, July 08: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi carried out a major expansion and reshuffle of his ministers, the Union Cabinet and the Council of Ministers are expected to hold a meeting on Thursday.

On Thursday. the two meetings will be held back-to-back, people aware of the developments said. While the cabinet meeting is likely to take place at 5pm, the Council of Ministers may meet at 7pm.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held the meeting of the Council of Ministers to discuss COVID-19 situation in the country. He asked the ministers to create an environment where people follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and get themselves vaccinated.

In today's meeting we will see many notable names missing who resigned ahead of the cabinet reshuffle. Many new names were inducted, while the portfolios of some of the ministers changed in the first such exercise since Modi government came to power for the second time in 2019.

PM Modi has brought in Mansukh Mandaviya as health minister, Kiren Rijiju as law minister, Dharmendra Pradhan as education minister, and Jyotiratidya Scindia as civil aviation minister.

The exercise saw induction of 15 cabinet ministers and several ministers of state. Seven ministers of state were elevated to cabinet rank.

The expansion saw more representation to states which will go to the polls next year, including Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, and is aimed at infusing more young talent in the government.

Forty-three ministers, including seven who were elevated as cabinet ministers, took the oath of office at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan held with protocols related to COVID-19.