Jyotiraditya Scindia assumes additional charge of Steel Ministry

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia on Thursday assumed the additional charge of the Steel Ministry.

Scindia is currently in charge of the Civil Aviation Ministry. The 51-year old BJP leader, who represents Madhya Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha, is the third steel minister in the current Modi government.

Before taking his seat, he took off his footwear and placed an idol of Lord Ganesha on the table of his office in Udyog Bhawan here.


In a tweet Scindia said "As per the directions of the Prime Minister I am assuming the charge as Minister of Steel. I will try my best to discharge this new responsibility with the blessings of all well wishers."

"Took the additional charge from @RCP_Singh Ji of Union Steel Ministry. I will do my best to fulfill the aspirations of the country by discharging this responsibility given by the top leadership to the fullest potential," he said in another tweet.

He took charge in the presence of Steel Secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh and other senior ministry officials.

On his first day as Steel Minister, Scindia will take back-to-back meetings with ministry officials and departments. Besides, he will hold meetings of all steel PSUs along with their heads, an official said.

He succeeds Ram Chandra Prasad Singh who resigned from the post on Wednesday, a day before the completion of his Rajya Sabha term.

Singh, a former bureaucrat and Rajya Sabha Member, last year on July 8, had replaced Dharmendra Pradhan, who was allotted the ministry of education along with the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship in a Cabinet reshuffle.

On the advise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday directed Scindia to be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Steel in addition to his existing portfolio, according to an official statement.