NEW DELHI, India, July 25, Reuter: Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi took over the External Affairs portfolio from Narain Dutt Tiwari and appointed him finance and commerce minister. The Press Trust of India (PTI) said Gandhi, who took over the Finance Ministry from Vishwanath Pratap Singh in February, was expected to hold the External Affairs portfolio “for the time being” but gave no details. Makhan Lal Fotedar, political advisor to the Prime Minister joined the Cabinet Minister for steel and mines, and was sworn in by President Ramaswamy Venkataraman who took his own oath of office as head of state earlier today.
- Shiv Shankar, who held the Commerce portfolio, will be in charge of planning and program implementation with additional responsibility for law.
Civil aviation minister Jagdish Tytler took in addition the tourism portfolio vacant Mufti Mohammad Sayeed resigned last week.
The changes follow the resignation of six ministers in the last few months. All the existing Cabinet members were retained, PTI said.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 31, 1987
