Maneka Gandhi allotted previous Coal Minister's office

NEW DELHI: Animal rights activist and environmentalist Maneka Gandhi, who has been given the Women and Child Development portfolio, will assume charge of her office in Shastri Bhavan tomorrow.

She has been allotted an office on third floor which was occupied by the Coal minister in the previous UPA government. The office occupied by the previous WCD minister Krishna Tirath on the seventh floor is under repair due to a recent fire incident because of which the entire floor was evacuated completely on May 21, said a source in the WCD ministry.

The fire had originated in the office of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and had spread to adjoining offices of the I&B and Child Development Ministries too. However, there were no casualties.

The staff at the Ministry, including the Secretary and Joint Secretaries', were in full attendence to greet the new Minister.

Till evening, there was uncertainity whether Gandhi will take charge of her office today but it was later confirmed that she will assume office tomorrow.

The seven-time MP and younger daughter-in-law of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, she was also in the council of ministers during the previous NDA government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the first Animal Welfare Minister of the country.