Kapil Sibal assumes charge of Telecom Ministry

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Tuesday assumed additional charge of the ministry of communications and information technology at Sanchar Bhavan, replacing DMK's A. Raja, who stepped down in the wake of the alleged 2G spectrum scam.

Sibal met the secretaries of telecom department, information and technology department and posts department, and senior officials of the ministry.

On being questioned about the spectrum scam by the media at a national seminar on climate change, Sibal said he needs to set his foot in the telecom sector before being able to comment on any issue related to telecom.

Sibal is the first member of the Congress party to hold the portfolio in 14 years. In the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government as also in its current tenure, the sector has been with its alliance partner DMK.

The 62-year-old member of the Lok Sabha, who represents the Chandni Chowk constituency in the old quarters of the capital, was also given the charge of science and technology and earth science portfolios after Prithviraj Chavan was made the chief minister of Maharashtra.

After adamantly refusing to resign, Raja had quit the cabinet late Sunday over the 2G spectrum controversy.