BJP leader Narayan Rane on Thursday took charge as new Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
"I thank honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Ji Modi for giving me the opportunity to serve the nation as the cabinet minister in the Union Cabinet. Under his guidance, I am taking charge of my department today morning at 11.30 am. @PMOIndia @narendramodi", Rane tweeted.
Before Rane, Nitin Gadkari was holding the post of Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Currently, Gadkari is the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways.
The swearing-in ceremony of new ministers as part of the first Union Cabinet expansion, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to power for a second term in May 2019 took place yesterday.
President Ram Nath Kovind administered oath of office and secrecy to new members of the Council of Ministers at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The 69-year-old leader Rane is serving his first term as Rajya Sabha MP. The former Maharashtra chief minister has earlier been a six-time MLA and one-time Member Legislative Council in Maharashtra. He has served as state Cabinet Minister and handled important portfolios like Industries, Revenue, Ports & Animal Husbandry.
Rane has been serving the public in elected offices across different capacities for over 35 years.Before that, he served in the Income Tax Department from 1971 to 1984.
Rane also served as Maharashtra Chief Minister from February 1999 to October 1999.
As many as 43 leaders took oath in the first Union Cabinet reshuffle and expansion on Wednesday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to power for a second term in May, 2019.
( With inputs from ANI )
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