Modi government assigns key roles to BJP allies and opposition in new cabinet committees

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has established several cabinet committees, appointing union ministers from both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its coalition partners to significant roles.

In addition to BJP ministers, members from opposition parties such as the Janata Dal (U), Telugu Desam Party, Janata Dal (S), Shiv Sena, and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) have been included.

The Cabinet Committee on Security, responsible for security and strategic affairs, includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs addresses economic and trade issues and comprises Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman, S Jaishankar, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Heavy Industries and Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy (Janata Dal (S)), Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Minister of Panchayati Raj and Fisheries Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Janata Dal (U)).

Handling major political issues, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs includes Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Health Minister J P Nadda, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu (Telugu Desam Party), Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Jitan Ram Manjhi (Lok Janshakti Party), Ports and Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy.

The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, responsible for parliamentary sessions, comprises Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, J P Nadda, Nirmala Sitharaman, Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Janata Dal (U)), Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu (Telugu Desam Party), Kiren Rijiju, Social Justice Minister Virendra Kumar, Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, and Minister of Jal Shakti C R Patil. Special invitees include Union Minister of State for Law Arjun Ram Meghwal and Minister of State for Law L Murugan.

The Appointments Committee, which handles top bureaucratic and security posts, includes Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.

Focusing on investments and growth, the Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth comprises Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, and Minister of Food Processing Industries Chirag Paswan (Lok Janshakti Party). Special invitees are Minister of State for Statistics Rao Inderjit Singh and Minister of Aayush Prataprao Jadhav.

Handling accommodation for ministers and senior officials, the Cabinet Committee on accommodation includes Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, and Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal. Union Minister of State for Personnel and PMO Jitendra Singh is a special invitee.

Addressing skill development, employment, and livelihood, the Cabinet Committee on Skill, Employment, and Livelihood includes Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Dharmendra Pradhan, Bhupender Yadav, Hardeep Singh Puri, Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. Special invitee is Union Minister of State for Skill Development Jayant Choudhary.