SHRI CHHABILDAS PRAGJIBHAI MEHTA

Preliamentary Career: Member, (1) Bombay Legislative Council,           1958-60,(2)Second Gujarat Legislative Assembly,1962-67, (3)Third Gujarat Legislative Assembly,1967-71 (4) Fourth  Gujarat Legislative Assembly,1972-75, (5) Fifth Gujarat Legislative Assembly,                   1975-80,(6)Eighth Gujarat Legislative Assembly, 1990-95. Minister for Public Works, Irrigation, Roads, Buildings and Ports in the Government of Gujarat from  1973 to 1974. Finance Minister, Government of Gujarat from March 1990 to February 1994. Also held additional portfolio of Water Resources from 12^th November 1990 to 13^th June 1992. After sad demise of Chief Minister                Shri Chimanbhai  Patel, he become Chief Minister of Gujarat from             17, February 1994 to 12^th March 1995.

Activities: Left studies in 1942 and participated in the Freedom Movement. Organised Youth activities and worked as Secretary and Vice- President of Mahuva Yuvak Sangh from 1944 to 1949. Elected to Mahuva Municipality and became President of its Development Committee, 1949 to 1968. Took leading part in the Anti-Sales tax Agitation in 1951. Carried on socialist movement in Saurashtra region as Secretary of Socialist Party and Praja Socalist Party from 1952 to 1957. Organised labour activities and contributed in the formation of the Farmers’ Union. President, Bhavnagar District Congress, 1971. Member and President of Governing Council of Educational Institutes of Mahuva, 1952-69. Secretary and President of Taluka Sale and Purchase Union.  Pioneer of three Co-operative Housing  Societies and six Co-operative Credit Societies. Member of Public Accounts Committee in the Bombay Legislative Council. Was also member of

Estimates Committee, Public Accounts Committee, Public Undertakings Committee, Committee on Government Assurances, Land Reform Committee, Committee of Privileges and Subordinate Legislation Committee of Gujarat Legislative Assembly. Chief Whip of   Legislative     Assembly Congress (I) Party, 1975. Member, All India Congress (I) Committee,      1964-77. President, District Congress (I) 1969. Member, Working Committee of Gujarat Pradesh Congress, 1977. Secretary, Gujarat Janata Party, 1984-86.  General Secretary, Janata Dal, Gujarat, 1988.

He was awarded “ Vikas Ratna Award” and “ Arch of Asia” Award by the International Friendship Society of India, New Delhi respectively in 1992 and 1993.  Also  awarded “Jawaharlal Nehru Excellence” Award by the Institute of economic Studies, New Delhi in 1992.

Hobby: Cricket, Volley-ball, Tennis and swimming.

Travels Abroad: Participated as delegate of Gujarat in the Parliamentary Seminar held at Westminster (England) organised under the joint auspices of the Headquarters Secretariat of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and United Kingdom Branch of the C.P.A. Visited Egypt, Italy, North Ireland, Netherlands, Isle-of- Man, West Germany, east Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, France, Russia, U.S.A. Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Switzerland etc.