Shripad Naik takes charge as Minister of State for Tourism

Following the Union cabinet reshuffle, five-time North Goa MP and Union Minister Shripad Naik on Tuesday took charge as Minister of State (MoS) for the Ministry of Tourism.

In the recent Cabinet reshuffle, he has been given new portfolios, including Minister of State for tourism and port, shipping and waterways.

For the past seven years, Naik was Minister of State with independent charge of the Ayush ministry.

He was the first Ayush minister after the portfolio was formed in 2014 under the Narendra Modi-led government. In 2019, he was also appointed as minister of state for defence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 7 effected a major reshuffle and expansion of his ministry bringing Mansukh Mandaviya as Health Minister, Kiren Rijiju as Law Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan as Education Minister, and Jyotiratidya Scindia as Civil Aviation Minister.

The exercise carried out over two years after the BJP-led government came to office in its second term and amid the ongoing battle against COVID-19, saw some ministers being dropped and the induction of 15 cabinet ministers and several ministers of state. Seven ministers of state were elevated to cabinet rank.

( With inputs from ANI )