Mansukh Mandalviya has taken over the Health Ministry at a time when the country is grappling with the fear of Covid-19. The responsibility also comes ahead of the ‘inevitable’ third wave of novel coronavirus as suggested by the health experts. Manadlviya is the seventh minister to be promoted to the cabinet as part of PM Modi’s mega reshuffle on Wednesday ahead of the Assembly Polls in four states next year.
Mandalviya, who famously rode a bicycle to the parliament, was minister of state for chemcicals and fertilizers. He had visited facilities of three vaccines being produced in India over the last six days, a report in NDTV said.
The BJP leader was inducted in the Union council of ministers as a Minister of State in 2016. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2012 and re-elected in 2018. He became the Chairman of Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation in 2011 when Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Mandalviya is also known for his padyatras where he covered long distance on foot for connecting villages. His noble cause spread more awareness in the neighbourhood areas. He organized his first yatra as a legislature in the year 2005. He had walked 123 km through 45 educationally backward villages in Palitana to vouch for girls’ education.
An active participant of Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), Mandalvira, in May 2019, was honoured by the Unicef for his contribution to women’s menstrual hygiene.