"PM gave this post considering contribution of Republican Party to growth of NDA": Ramdas Athawale

New Delhi [India], June 11 (ANI): Ramdas Athawale, president of the Republican Party of India (Athawale), emphasized on Monday that he was given the position of MoS in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment due to his party's significant contribution to the growth of the NDA.
While speaking with ANI, Ramdas Athawale said, "PM Narendra Modi has decided to make me a Minister of State (MoS) in his cabinet for the third time, even when my party has no Lok Sabha member. Considering the following things, the contribution of the Republican Party to the growth of the NDA and the government, PM Modi gave me this post."
Expressing his happiness over the responsibility, "It is a matter of happiness that I have been given the responsibility of the ministry which I have been handling for 8 years, which is Social justice and Empowerment under which 85 per cent of the population of our country comes...The population of OBC, SC, ST, senior citizens, people with disabilities, transgenders and many more comes under our ministry."
Talking further about his ministry, Athawale said, "Under my ministry, there is the SC commission, OBC commission... and there are several works that are done under our ministry. Our ministry does the optimum work for the benefit of persons with disabilities."
Giving out the details about the work done by the ministry, he said, "We also initiated Nasha Mukti Abhiyan in the country which is running in 272 districts. We will aim to start this Abhiyan in every district. "Nasha mukta Bharat hona chahiye, Nasha mukta family honi chahiye.'"
The list of portfolios allotted to different ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government was announced on Monday.
BJP retained several key ministries, however, its allies also bagged some important ministries.
Telugu Desam Party leader Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu has been made the Minister of Civil Aviation, which BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia had earlier held. Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan, has been appointed as the Minister of Food Processing Industries.
Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy, has been entrusted with the responsibility of the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, and the Ministry of Steel.
Hindustani Awam Morcha leader Jitan Ram has been given the Ministery of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
Janata Dal (United) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh, popularly known as Lalan Singh, has been assigned the roles of Minister of Panchayati Raj, Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying.
In addition to these, Jayant Singh Chaudhary from Rashtriya Lok Dal has been given the Independent Charge of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and he is also the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA secured 293 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. BJP won 240 seats on its own. In the 543-strong lower house of the Indian parliament, 272 is the minimum majority figure.
The Congress, on the other hand, won 99 seats. The INDIA bloc crossed the 230 mark. (ANI)