New Delhi: Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was elevated to the Cabinet rank in 2016, has retained the Petroleum and Natural Gas ministry and has been given an additional portfolio of the steel ministry in the new Cabinet of the Modi government.

Pradhan is a a long-time party worker and is known for his go-getter approach. Under his leadership the oil ministry ushered in a slew of reforms including diesel deregulation, new market-linked gas pricing guidelines, daily revision of fuel prices, new Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) and the success of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna (PMUY).

Pradhan was picked to lead the much sought after petroleum ministry back in 2014 and was subsequently given a Cabinet rank during a major Cabinet re-shuffle in 2016.

He has received praise for spear-heading the Bharatiya Janata Party’s flagship PMUY scheme. The oil companies have released 7.19 crore LPG connections under the scheme so far.

However, Pradhan may have to face a tough time ahead considering the prevalent volatility in crude oil prices, US sanctions on India’s largest crude oil suppliers – Iran and Venezuela and the increasing dependence of India on imported crude oil.