India / Piyush Goyal assigned Consumer Affairs Ministry after Paswan’s death

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

Piyush Goyal is currently serving as Minister of Railways and Minister of Commerce and Industry in the Central government.

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.

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.

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.