NEW DELHI, July 8: Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur, on Thursday announced that his endeavour will be to work with all the media heads as a team and to take forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mission.
Thakur’s remark came soon after he took charge as Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new-look Union Cabinet.
In an interaction with senior officials of various media units and Prasar Bharati after taking charge, Thakur said: “My endeavour will be to work will all the media heads as a team.”
Soon after assuming charge of office, the four-time BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh and former Minister of State for Finance, Thakur, said Prime Minister Modi has made strenuous efforts to take the nation forward in the last seven years and that as Minister of I&B it will be his responsibility to take that mission forward.
Thakur also said that he will make all efforts to deliver on the responsibilities placed on him by the Prime Minister and he looked forward to the cooperation of media in his efforts.
“Modiji has taken the nation forward and I will try to match the confidence the Prime Minister has shown in me. Several people have been in charge of this ministry, and I will take forward the work of the government to the people at large.”
Apart from I&B, Thakur, who had been the BCCI chief in the past, has also been allotted the Youth Affairs and Sports portfolio. The I&B portfolio was earlier with Prakash Javadekar, who is out of the Cabinet now.
Thakur will have the challenging job of handling the media interface of the government besides managing its affairs with the media platforms, particularly international and social media.
“I am honoured to serve the people of India as a Union Cabinet Minister and take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Prime Minister Sh @narendramodi ji for entrusting me with this responsibility,” Thakur tweeted.
The Minister was welcomed in his chamber by Amit Khare, Secretary, Ministry of I&B.