Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare & Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who is making his debut in the Lok Sabha elections, on Thursday said contesting from the Porbandar seat will enable him to put in practice the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi as well as work towards achieving the developmental vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In an exclusive interview with PTI, Mandaviya said he will give further push to plastic recycling and dyeing industries in Porbandar, while working towards setting up food processing industries and encouraging cruise tourism, which have an immense potential in the constituency.
A seasoned BJP leader from Gujarat, Union Health Minister Mandaviya, who is also in-charge of the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, will be fighting the Lok Sabha elections for the first time after being a Rajya Sabha member for two terms.
When asked about his vision for his constituency, Mandaviya said that he has old ties with Porbandar because of it being the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and him being the follower of Gandhi's ideology.
"As per Mahatma Gandhi's vision for economic and social empowerment, he had said his ultimate goal is to provide basic education to all sections of society. Following his vision, I had undertaken a 150-km-long padyatra in Porbandar on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary in 2019. That's why I am connected to the constituency," he told PTI.
He said that people of the constituency have expectations from him as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his tenure as the chief minister of Gujarat, had done a lot of developmental work in the state.
"Development has been Prime Minister Modi's priority and politics of development has been his life's guiding principle," Mandaviya stated.
"Road, water and electricity is already there and coastline fisheries is also a major business and source of livelihood for people there. Setting up food processing industries and encouraging cruise tourism are among the major opportunities for the region. Also plastic recycling and dyeing are major industries and I will make efforts to fulfil people's aspiration to give a further push to these sectors," Mandaviya said.
Mandaviya last week played cricket with local residents at a multipurpose ground in Porbandar, as he took some time out from his busy schedule ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.