Kataria takes charge as MoS for Rural Development

Was earlier sulking over work allocation to him in the Defence Ministry

Union Minister Lalchand Kataria, who was earlier sulking over work allocation to him in Defence Ministry, today took charge as Minister of State for Rural Development, saying he is "happy" and has "no regrets".

Ruling out any differences with the Minister of State for Defence Jitendra Singh Bhanwar, Kataria said that he has "no regrets" over being shifted from the defence ministry as Bhanwar was "senior" to him and had "experience".

Kataria had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday seeking a change in his portfolio.

Official sources said he had conveyed to Singh that since the other Minister of State Jitendra Singh also hailed from Rajasthan like him, he would find it difficult to work in the Defence Ministry.

However, sources had said Kataria's real grouse was that Jitendra Singh was tipped to get charge of defence production, while he would be left with only the subjects of NCC and Ex- Servicemen to look after.

Kataria, however, maintained that he had made it clear that he would take oath on Wednesday, which he did. He took charge in presence of Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh.

"There is no dispute in whatever decision taken by the Prime Minister and Congress President Sonia Gandhi. There must have been some technical mistake (in both his and Bhanwar's name proposed for defence ministry).

"He (Bhanwar) is senior to me. We hail from the same area...We have been MLAs together.... Keeping in mind all this, the Prime Minister yesterday decided to give me the charge of rural development," he said.