Piyush Goyal gets additional charge of Ministry of Consumer Affairs after Ram Vilas Paswan’s demise

New Delhi: Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal was on Friday given additional charge of the Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ministry, a portfolio held by the late Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan.

A Rashtrapati Bhavan communique on Friday said President Ram Nath Kovind, on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, directed that Goyal be assigned the ministry in addition to his existing portfolios.

"The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has directed that Piyush Goyal, Cabinet Minister, be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, in addition to his existing portfolios," said a communique from the President`s office.

Ram Vilas Paswan, one of India's most prominent Dalit leaders and eight-time Lok Sabha MP died on Thursday at the age of 74. He was part of several BJP-led NDA and Congress-led UPA governments.

Earlier, the Union Cabinet met and condoled the demise of Paswan, and also observed silence for two minutes in memory of the late leader.

The Union Cabinet approved a state funeral for Paswan and passed the following resolution saying, "The Cabinet expresses profound sorrow over the sad demise of Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. In his passing away, the nation has lost an eminent leader, a distinguished parliamentarian and an able administrator."

Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will represent the central government and the Union Council of Ministers at the funeral of the veteran leader in Patna on Saturday.