Overview
Shivraj Singh Chouhan (born 5 March 1959) is an Indian politician serving as the 32nd Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and the 23rd Minister of Rural Development since 2024. He represents the Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency in the 18th Lok Sabha, having earlier represented the same seat from 1991 to 2005.
Chouhan served as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh from 2005 to 2018 and again from 2020 to 2023, making him the longest-serving Chief Minister of the state. He was a member of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly from Budhni from 2006 to 2024, and earlier from 1990 to 1991.
Within the Bharatiya Janata Party, Chouhan has held several organisational roles. He served as the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha from 2000 to 2002, and as Vice President of the BJP from 2019 to 2020. He has also been a member of the party's Parliamentary Board and Central Election Committee, and has served as General Secretary and President of the BJP's Madhya Pradesh state unit. Chouhan joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1972 at the age of 13.
As Chief Minister, Chouhan launched a range of welfare schemes, including the provision of rice at ₹1 per kg for the poor, the Sambal scheme offering maternity assistance to women labourers, free education for underprivileged girls, subsidised electricity, the Ladli Laxmi Yojana, and the Beti Bachao Abhiyan. These initiatives are credited with contributing to the BJP's victories in the 2008, 2013, and 2023 Madhya Pradesh state elections.
References
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article on Shivraj Singh Chouhan.