New Delhi: Rural Development Minister Jairam
Ramesh was on Tuesday straight into business as he assumed his new
office within minutes of being sworn in and announced that his
immediate priority would be to ensure that BPL census is
completed by year-end.
The 56-year-old IITian drove straight from Rashtrapati
Bhavan to the Rural Development Ministry at Krishi Bhavan this
evening soon after taking oath as a Cabinet Minister and held
an hour-long meeting with top officials.
Ramesh, known for his proactive approach in the
Environment Ministry, was promoted as Cabinet Minister and
moved to the Rural Development Ministry.
The Minister said the Land Acquisition Bill and
Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) Bill will be introduced
in the upcoming session of Parliament.
"There are some urgent tasks to be undertaken in the
Ministry of Rural Development. The BPL census has to be
completed by the end of this year. That is a very important
task that sets the stage for the 12th five-year plan," he told
reporters here.
"We are committed to introducing the Land Acquisition
(Amendment) Bill and the R&R Bill in the forthcoming session
of Parliament. So that is something that very very urgent," he
said.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, July 12, 2011, 23:38