Women power stands out in the spotlight in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new cabinet expansion. After the major reshuffle, 43 new faces were inducted into the cabinet, which included a total of 11 women, including some new names like Bharati Pawar, Shobha Kandalje, Annapurna Devi, Anupriya Singh Patel, and others.
The seven women who took oath on Wednesday have been sworn in as ministers of the PM Modi-led government, keeping in mind the diversity in terms of representation of caste, religion, and gender. It is surely an impressive move by the Modi government as the emphasis was laid on the representation of women in the renewed cabinet.
When the Modi cabinet took oath in 2019, it was criticised for scanty representation of women with only three cabinet ministers and three ministers of state. Some prominent names in the 2019 cabinet included Smriti Irani, Nirmala Sitharaman, and Harsimrat Kaur Badal But now tables have turned and the critics are bound to appreciate this legendary move by the Modi government.
This marks a big day in the history of Indian politics and the induction of 11 women cabinet ministers, revolutionises women empowerment in India. Here is all you need to know about some of the new faces included in the new cabinet:
Anupriya Singh Patel is a Lok Sabha MP from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh serving her second term as the MP. She has served as Union minister of state for health under PM Narendra Modi and will now serve as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Sushri Shobha Karandlaje is a Lok Sabha MP for Udupi, Chikmagalur in Karnataka, now serving her second term as an MP. Earlier, she was a minister of state and held several portfolios including food and civil supplies, power, rural development, and the Panchayati Raj. She will now serve as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Darshana Vikram Jardosh is a Lok Sabha MP for Surat serving her third term in the office. She will be serving as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Textiles and the Ministry of Railways.
Meenakshi Lekhi is a prominent BJP leader from Delhi and a Supreme Court lawyer. She will be serving her second term and has been given the charge of Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs and Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture.
Annapurna Devi became a minister of Bihar when she was only 30 years old. Initially, a prominent RJD leader, Devi joined BJP in 2019. She will serve as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education.
Sushri Pratima Bhoumik is a Lok Sabha MP from Tripura West, serving her first term as the MP, who comes from a farming family. She will be serving as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar from Maharashtra’s Nashik is a doctor. She has also served as a member of the Nashik Zila Parishad. She has been given the charge of the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
While Nirmala Sitharaman will retain her position as the Finance Minister of India, Smriti Irani has been given the charge of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
Social media has stormed applauding this remarkable step of the Modi government. BJP National General Secretary, B L Santhosh took to Twitter and said, “True empowerment of women at the highest level under PM @narendramodi led Govt,” praising the Prime Minister for the induction of 11 women in the expanded cabinet, while also bringing to the light that the nation also has 8 women Governors and Lieutenant Governors.
True empowerment of women at the highest level under PM @narendramodi led Govt . pic.twitter.com/mvrTyIBwIi
— B L Santhosh ( Modi Ka Parivar ) (@blsanthosh) July 7, 2021
11 women ministers in @narendramodi Ji’s cabinet 🙏🏻#Govt4Growth #womenempowerment pic.twitter.com/xIvrLe0rpP
— Dr. Raghvendra Sharma (मोदी का परिवार) (@DrRaghvendrashr) July 8, 2021
#TeamModi now consists of 8 Women governors,11 Women Ministers!
Highest ever representation of Women in any Central Govt. in the history of India. This is called real #womenempowerment 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/2qdVc5XHDb— Stranger (@amarDgreat) July 8, 2021
Women from diverse backgrounds have been included and represented under the umbrella of the BJP government. While people just speak of women empowerment, PM Modi has made it a reality in India today. Women’s political participation is a fundamental prerequisite for gender equality and genuine democracy, which makes the recent cabinet expansion really worthy of appreciation.
While people welcome new ministers, wish good luck to them, we also expect them to perform well, bring all the expertise and full potential and show to people how good governance brings prosperity and difference in their lives.