Thaindian News

New Delhi, Sep 6 (ANI): The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, on Monday said he would consider a cabinet reshuffle before the winter session of Parliament due to begin on November 7.

Talking to a group of editors at his residence here, Dr. Singh made it clear that he was not thinking of retiring and indicated that he would look at options of a Cabinet reshuffle.

“I would also like to reduce the average age of my cabinet,” he added.

However, it was necessary for the Cabinet and the government to function with a certain degree of cohesion, and his Cabinet had functioned with a much greater degree of cohesion than even the first Cabinet headed by Jawaharlal Nehru,” he said.

On the recent differences expressed publicly between senior members of the Congress, he said he would give no guarantees about shutting up “every colleague in my cabinet.”

He also said that he was not aware of any disconnect between the Congress party and the government.

Talking about the naxal problem, Dr. Singh said: “There are no quick fixes” to the Naxal problem.

He said valid economic and social issues have to be addressed, but law and order has to also be enforced.

He also backed Union Home Minister P Chidambaram for doing a good job in handling the Maoist menace.

On the issue of Kashmir, Dr. Singh said: “A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security is being called shortly to discuss the situation in the Kashmir Valley.

“Also the centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government are looking out for options to address the concerns of the Kashmiris,” he added.

Reacting to the Supreme Court’s order that rotting foodgrains should be distributed to the poor, he felt the Supreme Court should not get into the realm of policy formulation.

His comment was made in the context of the Supreme Court’s order that excess grain should be given away to poor families. (ANI)