Modi begins third term with new cabinet, major housing scheme on agenda

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially began his third consecutive term today, taking office in South Block, Delhi, after a grand swearing-in ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan last evening. During the event, President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to PM Modi and his 72-member Union Council of Ministers, which includes notable leaders such as Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, and S Jaishankar.

Modi's immediate agenda includes a crucial Cabinet meeting where ministers are expected to formally request President Murmu to summon a new session of Parliament. This session will feature the President's address to both houses, laying out the government's vision and priorities for the upcoming term. Additionally, an announcement regarding the allocation of 2 crore houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) housing scheme is anticipated.

The new Council of Ministers is composed of 30 Cabinet Ministers, five Ministers of State with Independent Charge, and 36 Ministers of State. Among the new members are three former chief ministers and Suresh Gopi, an actor-turned-politician who is the BJP’s first Lok Sabha MP from Kerala.

"This team of ministers is a great blend of youth and experience; we will leave no stone unturned in improving people's lives. I look forward to serving 140 crore Indians and working with the Council of Ministers to take India to new heights of progress," PM Modi shared on social media platform X after the ceremony.

A significant first meeting of the new Cabinet is set for this evening at the Prime Minister's residence on Lok Kalyan Marg, with the allocation of ministerial portfolios expected to follow shortly.

The new Cabinet reflects substantial representation from states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, with Bihar securing four Cabinet berths and Uttar Pradesh receiving nine ministerial positions. Furthermore, 42 ministers belong to the Other Backward Class (OBC), Scheduled Caste (SC), and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities. However, it is notable that there is no Muslim representation in the new Cabinet.