Meet predecessors, gain from those no longer in cabinet, PM Modi tells new ministers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired the first meeting of the expanded council of ministers asked the new ministers to meet their predecessors and benefit from their experience.

The Prime Minister also reportedly asked the ministers to be punctual and work tirelessly for people.

According to sources, PM Modi told the new ministers that they should make use of the experience of ministers who held the portfolio before them.

"Especially those who are no longer part of the council, the PM praised those ministers for work in their ministries and asked the new ministers to gain from them," said the source.

This has come in the middle of allegations levelled by the Congress that former Health Minister Harsh Vardhan's exit from the Council of Council "is an admission of COVID-19 failure" and that "he was made a fall guy".

The meeting of the council of ministers went for more than two hours as the newly-inducted ministers were introduced in the first such meeting after the expansion and reshuffle of the ministry on Wednesday.

According to sources, PM Modi asked the ministers to work hard for well being of people and to ensure effective implementation of schemes.

"PM had been living a disciplined life for so long. His every word came from experience. He asked us to work hard with transparency and with commitment towards people," a source said.

( With inputs from ANI )