Mansukh Mandaviya, Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat, has been appointed as new Health Minister of India as a result of a major cabinet reshuffle.
Key points
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Mandaviya has replaced Dr Harsh Vardhan who was in charge of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), Ministry of Science & Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences since 2019.
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Mandaviya will also be in charge of Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
Merger of ministries
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Amid the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, Health Ministry was merged with Chemical & Fertilizers Ministry.
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Both the ministries were merged aiming for a better management of supply of medicines, other medical equipments such as oxygen cylinders.
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This decision was taken in the aftermath of 2nd wave of covid-19 when thousands of people succumbed because of acute shortage of essential life-saving drugs, oxygen, medical equipments and shortage of beds.
Who is Mansukh Mandaviya?
Mandaviya was born in a middle-class farmer family in Hanol village of Bhavnagar district in Gujarat. He studied veterinary science at Gujarat Agricultural University, Dantiwada campus. He completed his Masters in Political Science from Bhavnagar University. He started his political career in 2002. He fought from Palitana Constituency and became youngest MLA of Gujarat.
Kanya Kelavani Jyoti Padyatra
Mandaviya had organized a 123 km long Padyatra, titled “Kanya Kelavani Jyot Padyatra” in 2004 for a social cause ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’. He covered 45 educational backward villages in his constituency. In 2006, he again organized a 127 km “Padyatra” covering 52 villages of his constituency with title “Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao, Vyasan Hatao”. He is also a hands-on participant of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP). He was honoured by United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) for his contribution to women’s menstrual hygiene in 2019.