Hansraj Ahir who blew whistle on coal scam gets Cabinet berth

Ahir had relentlessly pursued the matter first with parliamentary committee on coal & steel and later with CVC

For Hansraj Ahir, BJP's forth-time Lok Sabha member from Chandrapur in Maharashtra, induction into the Narendra Modi led cabinet is no less than a birthday gift.

Ahir turns 59 on November 11.

The BJP stalwart from Vidarbha had jumped into limelight due to his revelations on the multi-crore coal mining scam.

He had relentlessly pursued the matter first with the parliamentary committee on coal and steel and later with the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).

That led to the CBI probe and ultimately cancellation of 214 coal blocks by the Supreme Court. In his reaction after the apex court order, Ahir had said that his stand was vindicated as all allocations were termed illegal adding that SC order had tried to save country's huge resources.

Ahir claims that environment protection is his passion. He was appointed as the chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on coal and steel in the 16th Lok Sabha.

In the 14th Lok Sabha, the speaker Somnath Chatterjee had hailed Ahir as a "role-model" for MP's. As a minister, Ahir says he will focus on increase in the irrigation potential of Chandrapur and Vidarbha in general, job creation and expediting the development process.