Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry
NAME – Som Hazara Prakash
PROFESSION- Politician and Social Worker
BORN – 3rd April,1949
PLACE OF BIRTH – Daulatpur, Punjab
FATHER’S NAME – Shri Hazara Ram
MOTHER’S NAME – Smt. Mahon Devi
SPOUSE – Smt. Anita
SIBLINGS – NA
CHILDREN – One son (Sahil)
EDUCATION – Graduated with a degree in Masters of Arts (MA) in economics from the Punjab University, Chandigarh.
POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS/PARTY- Bhartiya Janata Party
OFFICIAL WEBSITE- www.dipp.gov.in
REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT- Under his leadership, the ministry of commerce and industry aims at boosting the service sector and so in turn boosting the economy. Som Prakash is also a social worker and has undertaken various social initiatives as well.
AWARDS – NA
Som Prakash is a politician belonging to the Bhartiya Janata Party. He is the Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
BACKGROUND – Som Prakash who is an ex MLA from Phagwara, is also a member of parliament from Hoshiarpur. He is also a former Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar and a former IAS Officer of 1988 batch of the Punjab cadre. He has held posts like the Labor Commissioner, Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) chief administrator, managing director of the Punjab Financial Corporation and director of the social security department among others.
UPBRINGING & EDUCATION – Som Prakash who was born in 1949 in Punjab, was educated at the Punjab University, Chandigarh. He pursued a degree in Masters of Arts (economics). He had started his career as a research officer in the Punjab Excise Department. He married Anita in 1977. He is a retired IAS Officer and a social worker
WALK OF LIFE- Shri Som Prakash first election was unsuccessful, where he contested for the Lok Sabha during the General Elections in 2009 from Hoshiarpur. He was later appointed as a BJP candidate in the 2012 Punjab elections. He successfully contested and became MLA from Phagwara.
For the term in 2017, he won a second term in Punjab Vidhan Sabha. In the 2019 general elections, he was given a ticket from Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha constituency and he managed to win that election too. In May 2019 he was appointed as the minister of state for commerce and industry.
MAJOR INITIATIVES TAKEN-
Introduced the National Logistics Policy 2019.
Vouched for Skilling for logistical sector.
Eased exporters claim with ECGC through transparency.
CAREER TIMELINE/POSITION HELD-
2012- 2019- Member, Punjab Legislative Assembly (two terms)
May 2019- Elected to the 17th Lok Sabha
30 May 2019 onwards- Union Minister of State, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
CONTROVERSIES/CASES – There have been corruption charges filed against him.