Piyush Goyal on Sunday replaced Suresh Prabhu at the helm of affairs of Railway Ministry, perhaps the most challenging ministry currently. In light of the several derailments in the recent past, the ministry is sure to pose a big challenge for Goyal, who was formerly the Minister of State with Independent Charge for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy.
The now former railway minister Suresh Prabhu had been receiving flak from all sides for back-to-back rail derailments, which eventually cemented his resignation from the ministry.
Prabhu had offered to quit on August 23, taking moral responsibility for two train derailments that took place in the span of four days. He has now been appointed the Minister of Commerce and Industry.
As Minister of State with Independent Charge for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy, Goyal is said to have done commendable work in power and coal sector that has earned him the crisis-ridden Ministry of Railway. His appointment comes as fresh hope for the Indian railways.
Piyush is the son of BJP veteran late Ved Prakash Goyal who had served as a Union Minister for shipping in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-cabinet. Piyush was a member of the Standing Committee on Finance and the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Defence. An active member of the Managing Committee of Indian Merchants Chamber, he is also involved with NGOs in diverse fields such as tribal education and welfare of the physically challenged (Jaipur foot).
In his 28-year-long political career, he has served on the national executive and held several important positions in the BJP. He was also nominated by the Centre to the Task Force for Interlinking of Rivers. He was the deputy campaign in-charge for the Parliament elections in 1991 and played a key role at the central level in all elections since 2004.
He represents Maharashtra in the Rajya Sabha.
