Indian Sports Minister Manohar Singh Gill said last year's assault on Mumbai by Islamist gunmen which killed 166 people and an attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan in March have spurred security fears.

Meira Kumar made history in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday when she was unanimously elected its Speaker and thus became the first woman to occupy one of the high Constitutional posts.

Telecom Minister A Raja, who has retained the portfolio he held in the previous UPA government, said bringing down mobile tariffs to 10 paise a minute for local calls and 25 paise a minute for STD calls would be on top of his agenda during his second tenure.

Anand Sharma was tonight made the new Commerce and Industry Minister as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expanded his Council of Ministers inducting 59 more and giving portfolios of HRD to Kapil Sibal, Law to Veerappa Moily and Road Transport and Highways to Kamal Nath.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today expressed the hope that government would be able to present the budget in due time to avoid uncertainties.