Prominent Brahmin face from Bihar, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, was appointed the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare in today's cabinet reshuffle.
According to Health ministry officials, he will be entrusted with the responsibilities which his predecessor Faggan Singh Kulaste dealt with during his tenure.
Elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly for five consecutive terms, Choubey, 64, coined the slogan "Ghar-ghar me ho shouchalaya ka nirman, tabhi hoga ladli bitiya ka kanyadaan" and helped in constructing 11,000 toilets for Mahadalit families.
Choubey represents Bihar's Buxar in the Lok Sabha and was a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Estimates, Standing Committee on Energy and Consultative Committee on Health and Family Welfare. He is also a member of Central Silk Board.
Choubey held portfolios such as Urban Development, PHED and Health both in NDA I (2005-2010) and NDA II (2010-2013).
A Bachelors in Zoology from Science College, Patna University, Choubey has also authored a book - "Kedarnath Trasadi" based on the 2013 deluge in Uttarakhand. Choubey along with his family had escaped the Kedarnath floods.
Kulaste had taken oath as minister of state on July 5, 2016. He represents Mandla constituency of Madhya Pradesh. Back in 2008, Kulaste had been a part of the cash-for-vote scandal.