Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday promoted seven of his junior ministerial colleagues to the rank of Cabinet ministers after being impressed by their performance.
Ministers of State Kiren Rijiju, R K Singh, Hardeep Puri, Mansukh Mandaviya, Purushottam Rupala, G Kishan Reddy and Anurag Thakur were promoted to the rank of Cabinet ministers in the reshuffle effected in the council of ministers.
Rijiju was Minister of State for Sports and Minority Affairs, while Singh was handling Power Ministry, Puri was in Civil Aviation and Mandaviya was in Shipping. All had independent charge of these ministries.
Rupala was a Minister of State for Agriculture, while Reddy was in the Ministry of Home Affairs under Amit Shah. Thakur was deputy to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Sources said Modi was highly impressed with the performance of these ministers and decided to give them a promotion.
"With the blessings of all the senior leaders, I have been given the responsibility to serve the people. I will make an all-out effort to accomplish whatever job I get," Rijiju said after taking oath as Cabinet minister.