NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister entrusted the prestigious home portfolio to Mufti Moham mad Sayeed, gave external affairs to LK Gujral and finance to Madhu Dandavate while he himself retained defense in the allocation of portfolios to his council of ministers.

While Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal will hold charge of the agriculture ministry, Arun Nehru is the new commerce and tourism minister.

Ajit Singh will hold charge of the Industry ministry while Geotge Fernandes is the new railway minister.

  1. Upendra has been allocated the ministry of information and broadcasting where the National Front government has proposed to bring in sweeping changes by giving autonomy to Doordarshan and AllIndia Radio.

Arif Mohammed Khan has been entrusted with the portfolio of industry with the additional charge of civil aviation Besides defense, the Prime Minister will retain atomic energy, space, electronics, science and technology and ocean development. He will also hold charge of environment, forest and other portfolios not allocated.

Following are the portfolios of new council of ministers:

Devi Lal—Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture.

Madhu Dandavate—Minister of Finance

George Fernandes—Minister of Railways

Ajit Singh—Minister of Industry

Sharad Yadav—Minister of Textiles with additional charge of ministry of food processing industries.

Mufti Mohammad SayeedMinister of home affairs

Arun Kumar Nehru—Minister of commerce and tourism

Arif Mohd Khan—Minister of energy with additional charge of ministry of civil aviation

Ram Vilas Paswan—Minister of Labour and welfare

Nilamani Routray—Minister of Health and family welfare

  1. Gujral— Minister of External affairs
  2. Gurupadaswamy—Minister of petroleum and chemicals

P.Upendra—Minister of Information and Broadcasting and parliamentary affairs

K.P, Unnikrishnan—Minister of surface transport with additional charge of ministry of communications

Dinesh Goswami—Minister of steel and mines with additional charge of ministry of law and justice

Murasoli Maran—Minister of Urban Development minister of state (independent charge)

Manobhai Kotadiya—Minister of state (independent charge) of ministry of water resources

Maneka Gandhi—Minister of state in the Ministry of environment and forests.

Article extracted from this publication >>  December 15, 1989