 "Former Bihar CM, HAM founder Jitan Ram Manjhi appointed as MSME minister")
Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) founder Jitan Ram Manjhi, known for his survival skills, has been appointed Cabinet minister for micro, small, and medium enterprises.
Manjhi, who won from Gaya, the only seat his party contested, had served as Bihar chief minister from May 2014 to February 2015.
Manjhi has been associated with various political parties, including the Congress, the erstwhile Janata Dal, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and the Janata Dal (United). With each transition his star rose, cementing his reputation of being an unwavering advocate for the Dalit community.
Manjhi was born in Khijrasarai, Gaya, and became Congress MLA in 1980. Belonging to the Mushahar community, Manjhi unexpectedly became chief minister in 2014, when Nitish Kumar stepped down to strengthen the Janata Dal (United). This choice was influenced by the candidate’s surname and his penchant for maintaining a low profile.
Having fallen out with Nitish Kumar, in the 2015 Assembly elections, Manjhi faced a setback as his party managed to secure just one seat, diminishing his influence with the BJP. Subsequently, he made a surprising move by joining the grand alliance with the RJD and Congress. However, the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, dominated by the Modi wave, limited his ability to expand his influence further.
Earlier he was minister for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Welfare in Nitish Kumar's Cabinet. Between 1996 and 2005, he served in the RJD government under Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi.
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With his experience in state politics, it will be interesting to see how Manjhi tackles the demands and needs of the MSMEs as Prime Minister Modi advocates promotion of smaller enterprises.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has promised in its 2024 poll manifesto to double the Prime Minister Mudra loan ceiling to Rs 20 lakh. Under the PM Mudra Yojana (PMMY), over 460 million loans worth Rs 27 trillion have been disbursed so far.
Manjhi is set to take over from Narayan Rane, who became MSME minister in July 2021 during the initial significant Cabinet reshuffle in Modi's second term. Previously, the MSME ministry portfolio was held by Nitin Gadkari.