'Kuch toh log kahenge logon ka kaam hai kehnaa', says Irani

New Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday said she is not at all surprised about the comments coming her way post her shift from the HRD ministry and added in Hindi "Kuch toh log kahenge logon ka kaam hai kehnaa" (people will speak; it is their job to speak)

She said the textile ministry, during her tenure, would ensure that weavers are given support to expand their income.

"We will ensure that the weavers who are the very bedrock of this ministry gets full support in order to expand their incomes and pass on the heritage and culture ingrained in the textile sector on to the next generation," she added.

She described the textile sector as the second largest employer after the agriculture sector and added "I also recognise that the needs of not only the weavers, but also industry at large with regard to expansion in the garment facilitation and garment production in consistent and continued effort with this ministry, and that is the effort I hope to strengthen in my tenure."

A fortnight ago the cabinet cleared 6000 crore rupees package aimed at improving the sector's competitiveness and generating employment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier on Tuesday expanded his Union Council of Ministers with the addition of 19 new ministers of state. The new faces inducted are mainly from Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The decision to expand the Council of Ministers came after taking into consideration a diverse range of factors.

Modi's first major cabinet reshuffle took place in November 2014.

According to the Constitution, a maximum of 82 ministers can be accommodated in the Union Cabinet.