Under Maneka Gandhi, WCD gets a promotion to cabinet rank

NEW DELHI: In the new BJP-led government at the Centre, the women and child development ministry was upgraded to cabinet rank. This was a long-standing demand of activists so that the ministry can be involved in policy decisions and play a pro-active role.

For the first time in 1985, Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress government at the Centre set up a department dealing with women and child development as part of the human resource development ministry. In January 2006, during UPA-1 regime, the WCD department was upgraded to a ministry. In UPA-2 , the WCD ministry was headed by a minister of state (independent charge).

Now, in Narendra Modi's government, the ministry will be run by Maneka Gandhi, a cabinet minister. Gandhi is expected to take charge on Wednesday. Earlier, speaking to TOI, Pam Rajput, who heads a high-level committee on status of women, had stressed on the need for a cabinet rank for the ministry.