Nitin Gadkari Birthday: Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari is celebrating his 67th birthday today, i.e. on 27 May. Nitin Jairam Gadkari’s name comes up prominently among the stalwarts who rose from student life to reach a high position in the country’s politics. If we look at his political journey, it is also one of his achievements that even opposition leaders are often seen saying a lot in his praise. During the 10-year tenure of the Modi government at the Centre, Nitin Gadkari’s development work is kept at the forefront. Due to the rapid construction of luxurious roads, expressways and flyovers during his tenure, he is also called the Vikas Purush of the Modi government.
Gadkari is also an accomplished orator, activist and leader. He came in contact with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during his teenage years and held several responsibilities. He joined the student political organization Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in 1976. He fought relentlessly for student interests and later joined the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. At the age of 24, he was elected president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha.
Contribution in strengthening BJP
He soon joined the BJP and due to his hard work, he climbed one height after another in the BJP. In 1989, he was elected as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council and became the leader of the opposition. At the same time, he has contributed a lot in strengthening the BJP in Maharashtra. As the youngest national president of the BJP from 2009 to 2013, Nitin Gadkari started a systematic booth-level training program for party workers. His tenure as party president is seen as one of the most successful tenures.
Gadkari, who has been handling the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in the Modi government at the Center since May 2014, often says that American roads are not good because America is rich, but America is rich because American roads are good. On this basis, he is laying a network of highways, expressways, flyovers, underpasses and tunnels across the country. Till 2014, the speed of highway construction in India was 2 KM / day, which increased to 16.5 KM per day in the first year of Gadkari’s tenure and 21 KM per day in the second year and reached 36 KM per day by 2020.
Key Positions Held-
- He started his political career by joining ABVP in 1976.
- In 1979 he took charge of the Nagpur University Students Council.
- In 1985, he became the secretary of Nagpur city BJP.
- 1989 – 2014 Member, Maharashtra Legislative Council.
- 1995 – 1999 PWD Minister, Government of Maharashtra.
- 1999 – 2005 Leader of the Opposition, Maharashtra Legislative Council.
- He was the National President of BJP from 2009 to 2013.
- In May 2014, he was elected to the 16th Lok Sabha from Nagpur.
- 27 May 2014 – 25 May 2019 Union Cabinet Minister, Road Transport and Highways and Shipping
- 04 June, 2014 – 09 November, 2014 Union Cabinet Minister, Rural Development; Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water and Sanitation (Additional Charge)
- 03 September, 2017 – 25 May, 2019 Union Cabinet Minister, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
- Re-elected to the 17th Lok Sabha in May 2019.
- Union Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises from May 30, 2019 – July 07, 2021.
- Union Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways since May 30, 2019.
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