In an unexpected turn of events, Dr Dharmendra Pradhan has been appointed as the new Education Minister. As per reports, the former Union Minister, Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, stepped down from his position due to health issues. There are also 3 new Ministers of State for Education and they are Annpurna Devi, Subhas Sarkar, and Rajkumar Ranjan Singh. Apart from this, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has introduced 36 news members to the Union Cabinet and has also promoted 6 existing ministers. Whereas, 12 ministered have been dropped from the Cabinet.
Dr Dharmendra Pradhan was earlier the Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel. Under reshuffle, PM has decided to club the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Skill Education. Making both the ministries will act as one, under the guidance of Dr. Dharmendra Pradhan.
He who was born on June 26, 1969, in the state of Odisha. The political path for the minister started early, during the high-school days when he became an A.B.V.P. activist in Talcher College and later went on to become the president of student union. However, he also gave importance to education and attained PG degree in Anthropology from the Utkal University
His political career took off 2000 Odisha assembly election. He participated from Pallalhara constituency and tasted his first electoral victory. After serving different positions in the Bhartiya Janata Party, he was then elected to the 14th Member of Lok Sabha. He has also been elected as the member of the Rajya Sabha twice, from the state of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
Pradhan has been actively pursuing several issues concerning the youth, unemployment, the lack of skill-based education, rehabilitation among others. He has also played a major role in mobilising the youth in the state.
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As far as the expansion in Cabinet is concerned, Jyotiraditya Scindia has been named as the new Civil Aviation Minister. Kiran Rijiju who was the Minister of Sports & Youth Welfare has been named as the new Minister of Law & Justice. The ministry that was in the hand of Dr. Dharmendra Pradhan is now given Dr Hardeep Puri who is named as the new Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
Whereas, the top leadership has remained unchanged as PM Modi allocated Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Amit Shah – Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation, Rajnath Singh allocated Minister of Defence, Nirmala Sitharaman allocated Minister of Finance & Minister of Corporate Affairs.
