External affairs for Sherwani; aviation for Jayanti

Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral has appointed Salim lqbal Sherwani as minister of state for external affairs. Gujral will continue to hold the external affairs portfolio.

Jayanti Natarajan -- who was inducted into the council of ministers along with three other women last week -- has been appointed MoS for civil aviation and parliamentary affairs.

Telugu Desam firebrand Renuka Chowdhury gets health and family welfare, which was previously held by Sherwani. Ratnamala Savanoor gets planning and programme implementation. She replaces Professor Yogendra Alagh who retains science and technology and has been given independent charge of power.

Minister of State M P Veerendra Kumar has been shifted from finance to labour with independent charge. He will also temporarily hold additional charge of urban affairs and employment till the hospitalised U Venkateswaralu assumes charge. Satpal Maharaj replaces Veerendra Kumar at the finance ministry.

Janeshwar Mishra has moved from the water resources ministry to petroleum and natural gas. Sheesh Ram Ola takes water resources. Ola earlier held charge of chemicals and fertilisers.

Agriculture Minister Chaturanan Mishra will give up food and consumer affairs and hold charge of the department of animal husbandry and dairying in the ministry. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh will now look after food and consumer affairs with independent charge.

M Arunachalam has moved from labour to chemicals and fertilisers.

The prime minister relinquishes the ministries of urban affairs and employment, petroleum and natural gas and power. He will continue to hold charge of atomic energy, personnel, public grievances and pension, electronics, external affairs, Jammu and Kashmir affairs, ocean development and space.