Paban Singh Ghatowar | |
|---|---|
| Paban Singh Ghatowar at the 2013 Horasis Global India Business Meeting | |
| Union Minister of State (Independent charge), Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs | |
| In office July 2011 – 26 May 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Shri B. K. Handique |
| Succeeded by | General V.K. Singh |
| Constituency | Dibrugarh,Assam |
| Member of parliament for Dibrugarh | |
| In office 2009–2014 | |
| Preceded by | Sarbananda Sonowal |
| Succeeded by | Rameswar Teli |
| In office 1991–2004 | |
| Preceded by | Haren Bhumij |
| Succeeded by | Sarbananda Sonowal |
| Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare | |
| In office 1995–1996 | |
| Union Deputy Minister of Labour | |
| In office 1991–1993 | |
| President of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee | |
| In office 2002–2004 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 December 1950 Sivasagar,Assam,India |
| Party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | Smt. Jibontara Ghatowar |
| Children | 1 son,1 daughter |
| Residence | New Delhi |
As of 27 May,2014 Source: | |
Paban Singh Ghatowar (born 6 December 1950) is an Indian politician from Assam and a member of the Indian National Congress. He is a five-term Member of Parliament,and represented Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency from 1991 to 2004,and again from 2009 to 2014. He was the Chief Whip of the Indian National Congress in the Lok Sabha from 2009 to 2012. Ghatowar was a Minister of State in the Union Government of India as the Minister for Development of North Eastern Region from 2012 to 2014,for Health and Family Welfare from 1995 to 1996,and for Labour from 1991 to 1993. He was the president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee from 2002 to 2004.
Ghatowar was born in Sivasagar,Assam. He is a graduate of Gauhati University,and he studied Industrial Relations Training through the British Council in 1975. [1] He was a leading figure of the Indian National Trade Union Congress in Assam,where he was General Secretary from 1985 to 1991,working for the welfare of tea garden labourers. [1] [2]
Ghatowar was elected to the Lok Sabha,the upper house of Parliament,in 1991,and he was re-elected in 1996,1998,1999,and 2009. [3] He was Minister of State for Labour from 1991 to 1993,and for Health and Family Welfare from 1995 to 1996. [4] While President of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee from 2002 to 2004,Ghatowar was considered a potential Chief Minister for the Indian National Congress in Assam. [5] After the Indian National Congress won the 2009 general elections,Ghatowar was appointed Chief Whip of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha. In 2012,he was appointed Minister of State,independent charge,for the Development of North Eastern Region.
In 2011,the Assam Tribune claimed that Ghatowar's name appeared in a list of Indian Swiss bank account holders. [6] Ghatowar issued a clarification,denying the claim. [6] In 2014,the Bharatiya Janata Party affiliated lawyer,Ram Jethmalani,filed a petition in the Supreme Court claiming that a former Union minister from Assam —name not mentioned —possessed a Swiss bank account. [7] Ghatowar again issued a clarification,refuting the claim with the support of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee. [7]
Ghatowar's wife,Jibontara Ghatowar,was MLA of Moran from 2004 to 2016. [8]