Natwar Singh is minister without portfolio. Manmohan Singh holds External Affairs Portfolio. Previously too there were ministers without portfolios at certain times. Mamata Banerjee was minister without portfolio for some time. Dinesh Singh and Jaffer Sharief were ministers without portfolios when they did not resign. At the time of Nehru there were some ministers without portfolios.
It is meaningless to have ministers without portfolios. They do not do any work as ministers and are entitled to benefits due to ministers. Most of the times they are made ministers or allowed to continue as ministers due to political compulsions. This has to stop. Taxpayers’ money should not be wasted on them.