K Rehman Khan, former Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Dinsha Patel, Minister of State for Mines, Ajay Maken, Minister of State for Sports, M M Pallam Raju, Minister of State for Defence, Ashwani Kumar, Minister of State for Science and Technology, Harish Rawat, Minister of State for Agriculture and ChandresH Kumari Katoch, took oath today as Cabinet Ministers . Mr Rehman Khand and Chandres Kumari Katoch are the new faces while for others it is an upgradation.

Former Minister of State for External Affairs, Sashi Tharoor, Kodikunnil Suresh, Tariq Anwar of NCP, K Jayasurya Prakash Reddy, Mrs Rani Nara, Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, A H Khan Choudhary, S. Satyanarayana, Nionong Ering, Mrs Deepa Das Munshi, Porika Balaram Naik, Mrs Krupa Rani Killi and Lalchand Kataria, have taken oath as Ministers of State. Excepting for Sashi Tharoor, all others are the new faces in the Council of Ministers.

Congress spokesman Manish Tewari and K.Chiranjeevi have been inducted as Ministers of State with independence charge. President Pranab Mukherjee administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers.

AIR Correrspondent reports that the rejig is necessitated due to exit of Trinamool Congress from the UPA-2 coalition and resignation of seven ministers and resignation of the former Finance Minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee following his elevation to Rashtrapati Bhawan and many other vacant positions in the Cabinet.

The Prime Minister's excercise is expected to induct young and new faces keeping in view of 2014 General Elections. Some of the ministers have been relieved from the Cabinet who are likely to be shifted to organisational work in the Congress party.

Besides UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Vice President, Mohammed Hamid Ansari, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit are also present on the occasion of the swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan.