Will work towards development of natural gas-based economy: HS Puri after taking over Petroleum Ministry

New Delhi [India], July 8 : BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday took charge as the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and said his focus will be on increasing domestic production of crude oil and natural gas.
"Our focus will be on increasing domestic production of crude oil and natural gas. In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modl's vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, we will work towards the development of a natural gas-based economy in the country," said the newly appointed Minister.
Puri's appointing comes at a time when fuel prices in the domestic market are on a constant rise. The ministry was previously under Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who will now look after Ministery of Education; and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Pradhan, along with the new Minister of State in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Rameswar Teli, was present when Puri took charge of the new office.
A former Indian Foreign Service officer, Puri has previously served as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Housing and Urban Affairs and Civil Aviation and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry. In the recent reshuffle, he has been elevated as Minister of Petroleum, Minister Urban Development.
The former envoy, who was also the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, is expected to navigate global oil politics.
Puri joined BJP in 2014 and was elected as a member of parliament in the upper house in January 2018.
Some other key figures inducted into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet include Jyotiraditya Scindia, Bhupender Yadav, Sarbananda Sonowal, Anurag Thakur and Pashupati Kumar Paras.
In Wednesday's reshuffle and expansion of PM Modi's Council of Ministers, a total of 43 political leaders were sworn in as Union ministers, and some have been elevated as cabinet ministers.