Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of AYUSH
NAME – Shripad Yesso Naik
PROFESSION– Politician and business person
BORN – 4 October,1952(Age 68)
PLACE OF BIRTH – Adpai,North Goa District, Goa
FATHER’S NAME – Late Yessso Naik
MOTHER’S NAME – Late Jayashri Yesso Naik
SPOUSE – Late Vijaya Shripad Naik
CHILDREN – 3 son
EDUCATION – B.A. from Bombay University, Mumbai
POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS/PARTY– Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP)
OFFICIAL WEBSITE–https://www.india.gov.in/my-government/indian-parliament/shripad-yesso-naik
REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT- He proposed setting up of 100 Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH) hospitals across the country, which recently got approved by the centre. He inaugurated the” National Convention” on World Homeopathy Day on 10 April 2017 at New Delhi.
He expressed confidence that COVID-19 can be treated with Ayurveda, adding that in the absence of scientific validation the ancient Indian medicinal stream has only been used as a preventive measure during the current crisis.
Shripad Yasso Naik, a businessman by profession, he started his political career as the General Secretary of the BJP in the constituency of Goa. Currently, he is MoS (independent charge) of ministry of AYUSH MoS in the Ministry of Defense under Modi’s cabinet. He took charge on 27 May, 2014. He is the member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
AWARDS – On 18 August, 2016,he received the Samaraj Ratna Award.
UPBRINGING & EDUCATION – He took birth in a “Bhandari community” on 4 October, 1952. It was a middle-class family in the village of Adpai, North Goa. Hisn parents were Yesso Bhikari Naik and Jayshri Yesso Naik.
He completed his graduation from Bombay University and finally decided to enter into the political realm. He got married to Vijaya and they have three sons.
WALK OF LIFE- After graduating from Bombay University, later in life decided to enter into the political arena. He is a great Indian politician and the MP from the constituency of North Goa. He was for the first ever elected as the member of Lok Sabha in the year 1999 from the Panaji constituency of Goa.
During his political path, he has occupied many important positions in the government from Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Urban Poverty Alleviation to several positions as the State Union Minister in Agriculture, Shipping, Civil Aviation, Road Transport & Highways and Finance (Revenue). Finally he became the Minister in Modi’s cabinet.
MAJOR INITIATIVES TAKEN- He initiated the Railway Budget to promote tourism particularly the plan to take up Eco-Tourism and Education Tourism in North Eastern States. He also assured full cooperation of Ministries of Tourism and Culture to the Indian Railways for speedy implementation of the projects.
He ensured universal access to drugs and diagnostics and said it should be the key policy and priority for the government.
He made the defense acquisition procedure and institutionalizing monitoring mechanism simple with united actions using digital technologies and database for selection of best equipment in a transparent and competitive manner giving enough opportunities to capable vendors.
CAREER TIMELINE/POSITION HELD-
He was a Member in Public Accounts Committee from 2012 to 2013.
In May, 2014, he was re-elected to the 16th Lok Sabhawj wherein he defeated Ravi Naik of National Congress party.
He was the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Culture; and Ministry of Tourism from 27 May 2014 to 9 November 2014.
He was the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) as well as Union Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare from 9 November 2014 to 5 July 2016.
Finally, in 2019, he contested and won the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from North Goa against INC candidate Girish Raya by a margin of over 1,00000 votes and was introduced into Modi’s cabinet as MoS (independent charge) of ministry of AYUSH MoS in the Ministry of Defense.
CONTROVERSIES/CASES – He appeared before a court as a witness in a cheating case registered against his former staffer, under section 420 of IPC.