BJP's Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar MP Ajay Bhatt assumed office as Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism on Wednesday.
"My priorities are the same as the government's. I will get the briefing before making further strategies. I have many schemes in mind, which we will implement with time," said the new Minister after taking charge of the office.
When asked about the resumption of Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand, the Minister said the matter is sub judice and the government will follow Supreme Court's instruction in the matter.
The former Uttarakhand BJP Chief will also serve as Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence.
The 40-year-old BJP leader has successfully served on several key positions in Uttarakhand over the years. Bhatt was Leader of Opposition and party chief before previous Assembly polls and is credited for BJP's massive win in Uttarakhand on 57 of 70 seats in 2017.
The first time MP Bhatt has previously served as minister in interim Nityanand Swamy government in Uttarakhand when it was carved out of Uttar Pradesh in 2000.
Some other key figures inducted into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet include Jyotiraditya Scindia, Bhupender Yadav, Sarbananda Sonowal, Anurag Thakur and Pashupati Kumar Paras.
In Wednesday's reshuffle and expansion of PM Modi's Council of Ministers, a total of 43 political leaders were sworn in as Union ministers, and some have been elevated as cabinet ministers.
( With inputs from ANI )
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