 "kiren rijiju")
Arjun Ram Meghwal will replace Rijiju and will take over as minister of state (MoS) with an independent charge in the ministry of law and justice. Meghwal will continue to serve his existing portfolios as well.
According to the government press release, Kiren Rijiju has now been assigned the portfolio of the ministry of Earth sciences. Union minister Jitendra Singh was holding charge of the ministry of Earth sciences.
The press release uploaded on the Centre's website said:
"The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has been pleased to direct the following reallocation of portfolios among Ministers in the Union Council of Ministers:
1. The portfolio of the ministry of Earth sciences will be assigned to Shri Kiren Rijiju.
2. Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, minister of state, was assigned the independent charge as minister of state in the Ministry of Law and Justice in addition to his existing portfolios, in place of Shri Kiren Rijiju.
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Meghwal was already serving as minister of state for parliamentary affairs, water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation and has been a member of the BJP for over a decade.
He was elected as a member of Parliament in Lok Sabha from Bikaner in 2009 and 2014.
Meghwal has also served as the chief whip of the BJP in Lok Sabha and was nominated by the Speaker as the chairman of the house committee in the lower house.
Meghwal was serving as the Union MoS for parliamentary affairs and culture under the Narendra Modi-led government before this. According to the notification, he will continue to hold the post.
