On Wednesday, the Narendra Modi-led central government reconstituted various cabinet committees, marking the highest level of representation for the BJP’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies since 2014. This move reflects the NDA’s performance in the Lok Sabha elections, where the BJP fell short of the majority mark of 272 seats on its own.
The newly formed cabinet committees include key ministers from the BJP as well as its NDA partners such as Janata Dal (United), Telugu Desam Party, Janata Dal (Secular), Shiv Sena, and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).
Cabinet Committee on Security
The Cabinet Committee on Security is composed of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. This committee is tasked with handling matters related to national security and foreign affairs.
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
In addition to Prime Minister Modi, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs comprises Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman, S. Jaishankar, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Heavy Industries and Steel Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. Other members are Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Minister of Panchayati Raj and Fisheries Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also known as Lalan Singh. This committee focuses on economic policy and coordination.
Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs
The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs includes Prime Minister Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Health Minister JP Nadda, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Jitan Ram Manjhi, Ports and Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy. This committee oversees the political and policy-related aspects of the government.
Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs
This committee includes Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nadda, Sitharaman, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Naidu, Rijiju, Social Justice Minister Virendra Kumar, Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, and Minister of Jal Shakti CR Patil. Special invitees to this committee are Union Minister of State for Law (Independent Charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal and Minister of State for Law L Murugan. This committee manages parliamentary affairs and legislative business.
Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth
The Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth includes Prime Minister Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, and Minister of Food Processing Industries Chirag Paswan. Special invitees include Minister of State for Statistics Rao Inderjit Singh and Minister of Aayush Prataprao Jadhav. This committee is focused on investment and growth strategies.
Cabinet Committee on Accommodation
This committee comprises Amit Shah, Gadkari, Sitharaman, Goyal, and Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal. Union Minister of State for Personnel and PMO Jitendra Singh is a special invitee. This committee is responsible for matters related to government accommodation.
Cabinet Committee on Skill, Employment and Livelihood
This committee includes Prime Minister Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Gadkari, Sitharaman, Vaishnaw, Pradhan, Yadav, Puri, Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. Union Minister of State for Skill Development Jayant Choudhary is a special invitee. This committee focuses on skill development, employment, and livelihood issues.
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
As in previous years, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet consists of only two members: Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah. This committee handles appointments to key government positions.
This restructuring of cabinet committees underscores the central government’s efforts to include a broader representation from its allies, reflecting the coalition’s dynamics and electoral performance.