Manohar Lal Khattar takes charge as Union minister for housing and urban affairs

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New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI) Former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar took charge on Tuesday as the Union housing and urban affairs minister in the newly formed Modi government at the Centre.

The 70-year-old replaces Hardeep Singh Puri, who has been allotted the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Puri was the petroleum and natural gas minister in the second Narendra Modi government as well.

Puri was also present when Khattar took charge of the housing and urban affairs ministry. Khattar met with officers of the ministry afterwards.

The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is mandated to execute various projects, including the Modi government's flagship PM Awas Yojna, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) and the ambitious Central Vista redevelopment plan.

The redevelopment of the Central Vista, the nation's power corridor, envisages a new Parliament building, a common central secretariat, revamping of the three-kilometre Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate, a new office and residence of the prime minister, and a new vice-president enclave.

Inducted into the Union Cabinet on Sunday, BJP veteran Khattar is now set to begin his new innings as a parliamentarian and Union minister.

Khattar joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a permanent member in 1977 and stayed with it for 17 years before he was made a member of the BJP in 1994. PTI BUN IJT

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