New Delhi: Animal rights activist and environmentalist Maneka Gandhi today assumed charge of the Women and Child Development Ministry.
Immediately after taking charge, she held a meeting with the Secretary and the Joint Secretaries.
The officials also gave a presentation on the work being undertaken by the Ministry.
"She was a listener and we were the speakers during the meeting," an official who attended the meeting said.
The new Minister has been allotted the former Coal minister`s office on the third floor in Shastri Bhavan.
With the new BJP-led government coming to the Centre, the women and child development ministry has been upgraded to cabinet rank.
This is being seen as a positive development by activists who feel the ministry can now be involved in policy decisions and play a proactive role.