Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu has been handed over the additional charge of Civil Aviation Ministry, officials said on Saturday.
A tweet by the office of President Ram Nath Kovind said: “As advised by the Prime Minister, #PresidentKovind has directed that Shri Suresh Prabhu, Cabinet Minister, shall be assigned charge of the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, in addition to his existing portfolio.”
The announcement comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took charge of the ministry in the wake of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) pulling out its minister from NDA government and Ashok Gajapathi Raju resigning as Civil Aviation minister.
Under attack over its failure to secure special category state status for Andhra Pradesh, the state’s ruling TDP pulled out of the Modi government on Wednesday, but decided to remain part of the NDA.
The two TDP ministers met Modi on Thursday evening and handed over their resignation letters.