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Two portfolios, one office
Kirtivardhan Singh is a Minister of State in two ministries at once: Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and External Affairs.
- Sworn in
- 9 June 2024Rashtrapati Bhavan
- Portfolios allocated
- 10 June 2024President's communiqué on the advice of the Prime Minister
- Charge assumed
- 11 June 2024Both ministries
- Verified current
- Council of Ministers list as on 25.07.2026Serial no. 13, both portfolios unchanged
PIB, allocation of portfolios; Cabinet Secretariat, Council of Ministers (25.07.2026)
How a Minister of State works
The Union Council of Ministers has three ranks: Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State with independent charge, and Ministers of State. A Minister of State works within a ministry headed by a Cabinet Minister and handles the subjects assigned by internal work-distribution orders.
Assigned subjects
Divisions and files are allotted by formal order. At MEA, Order No. 8400/FS/2024 of 12 June 2024 sets out his charge.
Answering Parliament
He gives written replies in both Houses on subjects within his charge. At MEA, unstarred questions are answered by the Minister of State concerned.
Representing India
He leads or joins delegations to bilateral visits, inaugurations and multilateral meetings, and delivers national statements for the Government.
Statutory roles
Some laws give him an ex-officio role. Under the Wild Life (Protection) Act he is Vice-Chairperson of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
Institutional responsibilities
MoEFCC is the nodal agency for environmental and forestry policy. Its work covers:
- conservation and survey of flora, fauna, forests and wildlife;
- pollution prevention;
- afforestation;
- animal welfare;
- India's climate negotiations under the UNFCCC.
Its statutory bodies include the NTCA, the Central Pollution Control Board, the National Biodiversity Authority, the Central Zoo Authority and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. The Cabinet Minister is Bhupender Yadav.
MoEFCC, Introduction
What the record shows
- Vice-Chairperson, NTCA, ex officio under s. 38L(2) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. He spoke at the 26th NTCA meeting (Dec 2024).
- National statements at CBD COP16 (Oct 2024), COP29 (Nov 2024) and UNEA-7 (Dec 2025). He led the delegation to the IUCN Congress (Oct 2025).
- Written replies in both Houses on forests, wildlife, climate goals, air quality, CAMPA and waste.
- National events: World Wetlands Day 2025 (Gonda), World Elephant Day 2025 (Coimbatore), International Day for Biological Diversity 2026 (Bhopal).
His charge at MEA
Under the Ministry's work-distribution order of 12 June 2024, his charge covers:
- Regions: the Gulf; West Asia & North Africa; East & Southern Africa; Central & West Africa; Eurasia (except Russia).
- Groupings and themes: the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation; Counter-Terrorism; Cyber Diplomacy; Development Partnership Administration.
- Services: Overseas Employment and the Protector General of Emigrants; Consular, Passport & Visa; Passport Seva.
- Administration: Finance, Establishment, Welfare and related divisions.
The Ministry has one other Minister of State, Shri Pabitra Margherita, who covers other regions.
MEA, Organogram
The two portfolios compared
| Aspect | Environment, Forest & Climate Change | External Affairs |
|---|---|---|
| Head of ministry | Cabinet Minister Bhupender Yadav | External Affairs Minister (Cabinet rank) |
| Statutory role | Vice-Chairperson, NTCA | None documented |
| Typical representation | UNFCCC, CBD, UNEA and IUCN forums; national observance days | Bilateral visits, inaugurations, NAM, SCO, Commonwealth and UN meetings |
| In Parliament | Written replies in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha | Unstarred questions within his divisions |
| Main sources | PIB, moef.gov.in, ntca.gov.in | mea.gov.in press releases, statements and bilateral briefs |