When information technology minister Pramod Mahajan was given additional charge of the telecommunications ministry on 1 September in a cabinet reshuffle it was seen as a precursor to the two ministries being merged at some point.

Well the wait is over. Mahajan announced today morning that the "convergence" of the two ministries would go into effect by next week. Mahajan's statement also puts to rest speculation that the information & broadcasting ministry, headed by Sushma Swaraj, might also come under the purview of this new ministry. There was talk at one time that all three ministries might be merged.

Mahajan said the only issue remaining for the the merger to go into effect was for president RK Narayanan to sign it into law.