On his first day in office, Home Minister Amit Shah sought to know the number of freedom fighters who received pension from the Centre.

The MHA has a separate division to serve the freedom fighters who are alive and the families of those who have died. It disburses pension to around 36,000 freedom fighters and their families. In 2016, it had increased the pension amount by 20%.

Mr. Shah assumed charge at North Block on Saturday afternoon, a day after he was allocated the portfolio.

At a meeting that lasted more than an hour, Mr. Shah reviewed the 22 departments of the Ministry. Senior officers including Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Director, Intelligence Bureau, Rajiv Jain, were also present.

“While he sat through the presentation, he stopped it and asked about the number of freedom fighters availing themselves of pension,” said a senior official.

He was also told about the Central Acts including the Official Secrets Act (OSA) under the ambit of the MHA.

Mr. Shah directed that each division give a detailed presentation on its functioning Monday onwards. The presentation included details on the budgetary allocation and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).

Mr. Shah was briefed on the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir by Governor Satya Pal Malik.

Emerging after the meeting, Mr. Malik said, “I have briefed the Home Minister about the development work and the ground situation in J&K. We had no talk about [Assembly] elections, it’s the mandate of the Election Commission.”

After assuming office, Mr. Shah tweeted, “Country’s security and people’s welfare are the Modi government’s priorities. Under the leadership of Modi, I will try my best to fulfil all these priorities.”

Ministers of State G. Kishan Reddy and Nityananda Rai also took charge.

Kerala and Maharashtra Governors P. Sathasivam and C. Vidyasagar Rao, Puducherry’s LG Kiran Bedi and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat were among the first to call on the Home Minister.