New Delhi (ICNS) -- The United Progressive Alliance government on Sunday set up a new Ministry for Minority Affairs in an effort to build bridges with the minority communities in India.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh constituted the Ministry for Minority Affairs as part of the Cabinet expansion that he carried out on Jan. 29. Former Maharashtra chief minister A R Antulay has also been appointed as the Minister for Minority Affairs.

Twenty months after he took charge, Prime Minister Singh has carried out the first major ministerial expansion by inducting 19 new faces in his government.

Many view the setting of the Ministry for Minority Affairs as a purely political decision as the Congress is eager to regain confidence of the minority communities in north India.

But minority community leaders have been asking the government to create a new ministry to look after the problems that they face.

Congress secretary Tom Vadakkan said the creation of the new ministry has been a poll promise of the party.

We are sure that the new ministry will tackle all the problems and issues that the minority communities face in India. It is a new initiative that will help communal peace in the country, Vadakkan told Indian Catholic.