Modi to chair first meeting of revamped Cabinet tomorrow

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will tomorrow chair the first meeting of the expanded Cabinet which will be followed by a meeting of Council of Ministers.

"A Cabinet meeting would be held at 5:30 PM tomorrow and will be followed by a meeting of the entire council of Ministers," a government source said.

The meeting comes a day after Modi inducted Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and three others into the Union Cabinet as he expanded his Council of Ministers, bringing in 21 new members.

This was the first revamping exercise of his ministry undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he assumed power in May. Parrikar is all set to be given Defence portfolio, which was held as additional charge by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

The strength of the Union Council of Ministers goes up from 45 to 66. Of this, 27 including the Prime Minister are of Cabinet rank, 13 Ministers of State with Independent Charge and 26 Ministers of State.