Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri meets Kerala CM, says, "I was happy to receive CM"

The newly appointed Union Urban Development & Housing, Petroleum and Natural gas minister in PM Modi’s revamped cabinet, Hardeep Singh Puri met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday to discuss several issues. The Kerala CM paid a visit to the cabinet minister at his office and received a warm welcome. The duo discussed several development and housing issues at the meeting. 

After the meeting, Hardeep Singh Puri said he was happy to host Kerala CM and said that two issues, precisely about metro and petrol and natural gas were discussed in the meeting. He also said that he has ensured Pinarayi Vijayan that he will respond quickly after educating himself about the issue.

Former Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri, who has been elevated to a Cabinet rank and was given charge of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Wednesday, will bring with him vast experience as a former Indian envoy to the UN to deal with oil diplomacy.

In a press conference, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri expressed eagerness to hold the office and thanked PM Modi for trusting him with the role. Addressing the media, Hardeep Singh Puri said, "I feel greatly honoured and privileged by the trust that has been reposed by the honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji who has included me as a member of his team and assigned to me the work of this important ministry which was so ably led by Shri Dharmender Pradhan Ji till now."

Union Cabinet reshuffle

In a massive revamp, the Union Cabinet was expanded and reshuffled to induct 36 new ministers taking the total size to 77, excluding the Prime Minister. Union ministers including Ravi Shankar Prasad, Prakash Javadekar and Dr Harsh Vardhan had resigned, thereby paving way for top BJP MPs like Jyotiraditya Scindia, Narayan Rane, Anurag Thakur, Kiren Rijiju, Sarbananda Sonowal who were inducted as cabinet ministers. In addition, the cabinet has also introduced the first-ever Ministry of Co-operation to provide a separate administrative, legal, and policy framework which will be headed by Amit Shah. Mansukh Mandaviya has replaced Dr Harsh Vardhan as the new Union Health Minister, Kiren Rijiju replaced Ravi Shankar Prasad as Union Law minister, Anurag Thakur replaced Prakash Javadekar as Union I&B minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia replaced Hardeep Singh Puri and Dharmendra Pradhan replaced Ramesh Pokhriyal as Education minister.

Image: ANI