Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal was on Friday given the additional charge of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution after Ram Vilas Paswan’s death, the government said.
“The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has directed that Shri Piyush Goyal, Cabinet Minister, be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, in addition to his existing portfolios,” the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a press release.
Goyal also holds the Commerce and Industry portfolio in the Union cabinet.
Paswan died on Thursday at the age of 74, less than a week after he underwent a heart surgery. The Union minister’s body was taken to his residence in Delhi from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Friday.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were among those who visited Paswan’s residence to pay tributes to him.
Paswan’s cremation will take place in Patna on Saturday. Home ministry officials said he will be accorded a state funeral and the national flag will fly at half-mast in Delhi and state capitals as a mark of respect.
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