G. K. Vasan (born Govindaswamy Karuppiah Vasan, 28 December 1964) is an
Indian Politician
Politics of India works within the framework of the country's Constitution. India is a parliamentary democratic secular republic in which the president of India is the head of state & first citizen of India and the prime minister of India is ...
and son of
G. K Moopanar, a veteran
Indian National Congress Leader. G K Vasan is currently the president of
Tamil Maanila Congress (M), a
political party
A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or p ...
in the state of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
,
India.
He was a member of
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legislatures of the states and union territories using si ...
, an upper house of
Indian Parliament
The Parliament of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the president of India and two houses: the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the ...
from the year 2002 until 2014.
During his tenure as a Member of
Indian Parliament
The Parliament of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the president of India and two houses: the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the ...
, he had functioned in several positions in the
Union Government
The Government of India ( ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...
under
UPA 1 & UPA II regime including as a
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation from Jan 2006 – May 2009;
Union Minister of Shipping from May 2009 – May 2014 and as an In-charge
Minister for Labour from Jan 2014 - April 2014.
Family and education
Govindaswamy Karuppiah Vasan, better known as G. K Vasan was born on 28 December 1964 in Sundara Perumal koil,
Thanjavur
Thanjavur (), also Tanjore, Pletcher 2010, p. 195 is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is the 11th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the Gr ...
Dist in
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
to an affluent
agricultural landlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, land, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant (also a ''lessee'' or ''renter''). When a juristic person is in this position, t ...
family to
G. K. Moopanar and Kasthuri Moopanar.
G. K Moopanar was a great secular
statesman committed to nation building. Ever since country's first general election to Indian parliament, he had played a major key role in socio-political undertakings in the
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British E ...
. his
forefathers
An ancestor, also known as a forefather, fore-elder or a forebear, is a parent or (recursively) the parent of an antecedent (i.e., a grandparent, great-grandparent, great-great-grandparent and so forth). ''Ancestor'' is "any person from whom ...
were
landlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, land, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant (also a ''lessee'' or ''renter''). When a juristic person is in this position, t ...
s. In fact, during the pre-Independence period, all of
Thanjavur
Thanjavur (), also Tanjore, Pletcher 2010, p. 195 is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is the 11th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the Gr ...
comprised merely of five provinces, and his family clan was one of the few who ruled over the richest arable land in the region
Kabisthalam'. It was also called as 'Moopanar.
[http://www.lingo2word.com/lingodetail.php?WrdID=458458 Homeland]
G.K Vasan did his schooling from
Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School
MCC Higher Secondary School (full name: Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School) is located in Chetpet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It was founded in 1835 and has a long, and illustrious history, including having produced many citizens ...
in
Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
and completed his graduation in Bachelor of Arts (
B.A
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
) Corporate Secretaryship from The New College,
Madras University
The University of Madras (informally known as Madras University) is a public state university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Established in 1857, it is one of the oldest and among the most prestigious universities in India, incorporated by an a ...
,
Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
,
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
.
He is married to Shrimathi Sunitha Vasan, daughter of Dr. N. Lakshmi Narayanan, a
Professor
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...
of
Medicine
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pr ...
and Shrimathi Sulochana.
Shrimathi Sunitha Vasan is a
university
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
gold medal grades in her both (
M.A) academic programmes. She has completed ‘
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...
(M.A) in
Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between ...
, from SIET College;
Madras University
The University of Madras (informally known as Madras University) is a public state university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Established in 1857, it is one of the oldest and among the most prestigious universities in India, incorporated by an a ...
and
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...
(M.A) in
Sociology
Sociology is a social science that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. It uses various methods of empirical investigation an ...
, from
Pondicherry University
Pondicherry University, also known as PU, is a collegiate public central university located in Kalapet, Pondicherry in Union Territory of Puducherry, India. It was established by an Act of Parliament in 1985 by the Department of Higher Edu ...
. She is a qualified counselor, both in academics and personal and does actively involve in developing
academic curriculum for special children's.
They have a son, Shri G.K. Pranav.
Political career
In the initial phase of political career, G K Vasan though was not officially a chair in the party, yet actively involved in the political events in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu. He was supportive to the G K Moopanar in his political administrations and did participate in election campaigns in
Mayiladuthurai Parliament Constituency and
Papanasam State Assembly Constituency. After the demise of G K Moopanar in 2001, G K Vasan was unanimously elected as the President of Tamil Maanila Congress by the MPs, MLAs and senior functionaries of the party.
G K Vasan was then the youngest president of a State Political Party in India. Under his leadership, the party fielded 32 candidates in the
12th Tamil Nadu State Assembly election and won 23 constituencies by securing over 18.85 Lakhs votes.
In the year 2002, when the party (TMC) was most influential and strong both in organizational strength and political representation at state and centre; G K Vasan came forward to fulfill the wishes of
G. K. Moopanar and millions of his party followers. On 14 August 2001, the party (TMC) under the leadership of G K Vasan and its MPs, MLA and millions of cadres got merged unconditionally with the
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British E ...
.
After becoming a member in
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British E ...
, G K Vasan played a major roles at both National and State Level politics. He became a Secretary (in 2002) of All India Congress Committee and rose to the level of becoming the youngest President of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee in 2004; making him only next to Perunthalaivar K. Kamarajar who held the honour of being the youngest President of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee.
G K Vasan extensively toured the state to rejuvenate the party cadres and interacted with general public to strengthen the organisation. In his maiden election (13th Tamil Nadu State Assembly Election) as a President of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee; in an alliance with
DMK, fielded 10 candidates and won all of them.
An act of recognition for his performance in state politics; Indian National Congress Committee elevated G K Vasan to become a Member of Rajya Sabha, an upper house of Indian Parliament in the year 2002.
G K Vasan was also privileged to be the youngest President of
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) is the wing of Indian National Congress serving in Tamil Nadu. The current president is K.S. Alagari.
Social policy of the TNCC is officially based upon the Gandhian principle of Sarvodaya (upliftment of all ...
; making him until today, the only person next to
Perunthalaivar K. Kamarajar who held the honour of being the youngest President of
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) is the wing of Indian National Congress serving in Tamil Nadu. The current president is K.S. Alagari.
Social policy of the TNCC is officially based upon the Gandhian principle of Sarvodaya (upliftment of all ...
.
Elected to Rajya Sabha, Member of Parliament 2002 - 2014
G. K Vasan was elected from the state of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
to
Indian Parliament
The Parliament of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the president of India and two houses: the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the ...
in the year 2002. As a Member of Parliament, he was part of several administrative consultative committees on policies and programme implementations. As a rural resident himself, he constantly strives to empower the
local bodies and in the process, he was keenly associated as a member of:
Consultative committee for the
Ministry of Agriculture
An agriculture ministry (also called an) agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister ...
(Year 2002–2004): whereby, dynamically backed the measures to build a vibrant rural economy and for '
National Food Security.
Departmentally-Related Standing Committee on Urban and Rural Development (Year 2003–2004).
Committee on Urban and Rural Development (Year 2003–2004).
Member, Committee on Subordinate Legislation (Year 2003–2004).
Member, Committee on Coal and Steel (Year 2004–2006).
Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Urban Development (Year 2004–2006).
Actively involved in the parliamentary bill 'The Provisions of the Municipalities (Ext.to the Scheduled Areas)'; a setup of urban local bodies in the scheduled areas.
Union Minister of Shipping
G. K Vasan was sworn in as Union Minister of Shipping under the leadership of
Dr. Manmohan Singh, the 13th Prime Minister of India. The Shipping Ministry under his able guidance saw a stupendous growth both in infrastructure and economic performance. The industry registered several landmark achievements during his tenure and claimed India would be the next hub for ship building industry.
G K Vasan was one of the very few cabinet ministers in UPA II, who continued to function in the same portfolio for the entire 5 years terms.
The following are the major achievements during his tenure, acclaims applauds.
Achievements:
The first assignment initiated was to 'Reform and Modernize' the operations of shipping industry by introducing 'e- auction tendering system',
implementing revised 'auction rate for lease of lands which belongs to Indian Ports and introduced 'revival strategy for 133 nos of non-functional ports and revised the 'auction rate for the land lease'.
The shipping ministry under G K Vasan leadership; awarded about '88 new projects with an investment of INR 42,953
Crore'
to enhance the marine infrastructure in our country and successfully concluded the ministerial term with a virtue of 'Impressive performance with high integrity, simplicity and transparency'.
The Ministry of Shipping was the only office then, to have a sector specific 'Land Policy Guidelines' approved by the Cabinet; a step towards 'Transparency and Accountability'.
The Shipping Ministry (
Cochin Shipyard (CSL) in
Kochi
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...
,
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
) 'designed and build an Indigenous Aircraft Carrier,
INS Vikrant Two ships operated by the Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. ...
for the Indian Navy'; making India, only the 5th country,
next to US, the UK, Russia and France to hold an independent capability.
The
Shipping Corporation of India
The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) is a government corporation that operates and manages vessels servicing both national and international lines. It is under the ownership of Ministry of Shipping, Government of India, with its headquart ...
(SCI)' an
PSU under the Ministry of Shipping, saw a significant growth making then
Finance Minister
A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation.
A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", ...
,
Mr. Pranab Mukherjee expressing hope (in 2010) that the
SCI, which is a
Navratna company, would certainly attain
Maharatna’ status very sooner.
Averted the biggest thread in maritime world 'The nationwide hunger strike by port workers in 2010' by bringing an amicable acceptance between union federations and port administration. Thus it ensured an uninterrupted cargo trade of 580 million tons and brought happiness to 60,000 port workers.
It was purely on his personnel interest; he intervened to hold 12 rounds of meeting with the labour unions and brought a solution to their long pending desires. To his credit; thereof never have been labour strikes in the shipping industry during his entire cabinet tenure.
Launched the vision document
Maritime Agenda 2020 a road map to build a 3200 million
tonne
The tonne ( or ; symbol: t) is a unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. It is a non-SI unit accepted for use with SI. It is also referred to as a metric ton to distinguish it from the non-metric units of the short ton ( United State ...
s per year of
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...
capacity by infusing an estimated investment of Rs. 3
lakh crore by 2020 to position India as a global hub for
marine industry.
Honored the legacy of freedom fighters (
Perunthalaivar K. Kamarajar and
V.O Chidambaranar Pillai) by re-titling the ‘
Ennore Port
Kamarajar Port Limited, formerly Ennore Port, is located on the Coromandel Coast, Chennai about 18 km north of Chennai Port. It is the 12th major port of India, and the first port in India which is a public company. The Kamarajar Port Limi ...
’ as '
Kamarajar Port'
and ‘
Tuticorin Port
V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority is a port in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, and is one of the 13 major ports in India. It was declared to be a major port on 11 July 1974. It is second largest port in Tamil Nadu and third largest container terminal i ...
’ as ‘
V.O. Chidambaranar Port’.
It is only next to
Pundit. Jawaharlal Nehru, a leader name is titled for
ports in India
India has a coastline spanning 7516.6 kilometres, forming one of the biggest peninsulas in the world. According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, around 95 per cent of India's trading by volume and 68 per cent by value is done ...
.
Achieved 2 greatest milestones (in 2011) in the annals of Indian Maritime History:
# Indian shipping tonnage crossed the 10 million mark''
with a target been set to achieve 43 million Gross Tonnage by 2020.
''
# The aggregate cargo handling capacity across all ports in India, crossed '1 billion Tons'.
L
aid the foundation stone (in 2013) for India's largest container handling terminal at
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) or JLN Port, also known as Nhava Sheva Port, is the second largest container port in India after Mundra Port. Located in Navi Mumbai's Raigad district, this port on the Arabian Sea is accessed via Thane Cr ...
(
JNPT
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) or JLN Port, also known as Nhava Sheva Port, is the second largest container port in India after Mundra Port. Located in Navi Mumbai's Raigad district, this port on the Arabian Sea is accessed via Thane Cree ...
), Mumbai;
thus positioning
JNPT
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) or JLN Port, also known as Nhava Sheva Port, is the second largest container port in India after Mundra Port. Located in Navi Mumbai's Raigad district, this port on the Arabian Sea is accessed via Thane Cree ...
at rank 26th among the top 100 container ports in the world.
The
V.O Chidambaranar Port (
Tuticorin
Thoothukudi (formerly Tuticorin) is a port city, a municipal corporation and an industrial city in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The city lies in the Coromandel Coast of Bay of Bengal. Thoothukudi is the capital and ...
) saw an amazing growth: Infrastructure projects worth Rs. 27,841
crore were infused to handle a massive volume of trade (413
million ton
Ton is the name of any one of several units of measure. It has a long history and has acquired several meanings and uses.
Mainly it describes units of weight. Confusion can arise because ''ton'' can mean
* the long ton, which is 2,240 pounds
...
s) and positioned the port as 10th
largest ports in India.
The
Kamarajar Port (
Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
) do realized a tremendous growth both in economic performance and Infrastructure development: It achieved a '2 fold growth rate of 30 MTPA in 2014 to become the '
12th largest ports in India'.
As part of revamp programme; augmented the infrastructure facilities at '
Port Blair
Port Blair () is the capital city of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India in the Bay of Bengal. It is also the local administrative sub-division (''tehsil'') of the islands, the headquarters for the district of South An ...
' and positioned it as '13th Major
Ports in India
India has a coastline spanning 7516.6 kilometres, forming one of the biggest peninsulas in the world. According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, around 95 per cent of India's trading by volume and 68 per cent by value is done ...
'.
Launched the passenger ferry service between Tuticorin & Colombo to realize the dream of freedom fighter V. O. Chidambaram Pillai. An initiative after 100 years of such maiden service launched by V.O Chidambaram Pillai in 1907.
Inaugurated
First International Seafarers Day (in 2011) marking the importance of safety, welfare & security of seafarers and honored the Indian
seafarers
A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship.
The profession of the s ...
for their immense contribution to world economic trade.
Raised the
piracy issue at international forums (
UN security Council
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the Organs of the United Nations, six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international security, international peace and security, recommending the admi ...
and
IMO) and proposed an 'Unified UN Security Force' to combat piracy, secure men and safely deliver more than 90% of world's goods trade.
The ministry was more considerate to open a thought for granting
IT exemption, tax concessions and
pension benefits to
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n
seafarers
A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship.
The profession of the s ...
; a candid initiative where whole of shipping fraternity remembers Him, even today.
Women Empowerment: G K Vasan always believed Women are an integral part of our growth and hence voiced for larger recruitment of
Women as Seafarers in Marine Industry.
MoS (Independent Charge) Statistics & Programme Implementation (Jan 2006 – May 2009)
G. K Vasan was first inducted in the Union Cabinet under the leadership of
Dr. Manmohan Sign, the 13th Prime Minister of India. He was sworn in as MoS (Independent Charge) for Statistics & Programme Implementation. The ministry under the able guidance of G. K Vasan realized several accomplishments that added value to enhance the performance of other Union Ministries.
The following are the major few achievements during his tenure:
Achievements:
Enacted the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 which replaced the Collection of Statistics Act, 1953 to significantly empower the data collection mechanism at all levels of government.
First ever comprehensive cadre review (Human Resource Development) in the statistical department was successfully completed by upgrading 127 Directors (NFSG) level posts to SAG (Joint Secretary) level and newly introducing subordinate Group B and Group C level officer positions in the
Indian Statistical Service.
G. K Vasan had urged all the state governments to induct a 'Statistical Commission' and a separate 'Department of Statistics' to strengthen the statistical system in India.
Released the
First Millennium Development Goals India Country Report A set of 8 goals primarily linked to participatory governance for overall Rural Development.
A Twenty Point Programme as part of
Social Justice
Social justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, Equal opportunity, opportunities, and Social privilege, privileges within a society. In Western Civilization, Western and Culture of Asia, Asian cultures, the concept of social ...
was restructured with inclusion of new schemes like '
National Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), Rural Business Hubs, Local Self Government both in
urban local bodies
Municipal or local governance refers to the third tier of governance in India, at the level of the municipality or urban local body.
History
Municipal governance in India in its current form has existed since the year 1664. In 1664, Fort Ko ...
and
panchayat raj
The Panchayat raj is a political system, originating from the Indian subcontinent, found mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. It is the oldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent, and historical menti ...
,
Prevention of child labor,
HIV/AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...
,
Mid day Meal etc.
Established 'National Academy of Statistical Administration' to bring out the best statistical minds from India at par with international standard.
Birth Anniversary (29 June) of
Prof. P C Mahalanobis was declared as th
'National Statistical Day'to honour his contributions in the field of Statistics and Economic Planning.
With concerted efforts, enhanced the
Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (
MPLADS
''Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme'' (MPLADS) is a scheme formulated by Government of India on 23 December 1993 that enables the members of parliaments (MP) to recommend developmental work in their constituencies with an emphas ...
) fund from INR 2 crore to INR 5 crore and issued a comprehensive guidelines on scheme concept, implementation and monitoring.
Software was set up to monitor and enable online access to
MPLADS
''Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme'' (MPLADS) is a scheme formulated by Government of India on 23 December 1993 that enables the members of parliaments (MP) to recommend developmental work in their constituencies with an emphas ...
works, which ensured improved transparency and e-governance.
Newly initiated the 'Physical Monitoring System' of MPLADS works through
NABARD
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is an apex regulatory body for overall regulation of regional rural banks and apex cooperative banks in India. It is under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Finance, Government of India ...
consultancy services; this enabled an improved performance in the work execution whereby an efficiency enhancement was achieved from 80.14% in March 2004 to 90.01% in the succeeding year.
Due to efficient monitoring, project control and implementation; the ministry ensured an efficient rate of project completion in India: The administration successfully achieved the performance index by reducing the project cost over run from 62% in March 1991 to an impressive rate of 15.5% in Sept, 2006.
The operationalization of the '
National Statistical Commission
The National Statistical Commission (NSC) of India is an autonomous body which formed in June 2005 under the recommendation of Rangarajan commission. The NSC is currently headed by Prof. Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar who was appointed as Chairperson ...
' was an important initiative to bring about quality and transparency in official statistics. It serves as a key recommendation provider on latest statistical standards and policy initiatives in India.
Political Office
* President,
Tamil Maanila Congress (M) : From Aug 2001 – Aug 2002 and
Incumbent
The incumbent is the current holder of an office or position, usually in relation to an election. In an election for president, the incumbent is the person holding or acting in the office of president before the election, whether seeking re-ele ...
from May 2014.
* Secretary,
All India Congress Committee (AICC) : From Aug 2002 – Nov 2003.
* President,
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) is the wing of Indian National Congress serving in Tamil Nadu. The current president is K.S. Alagari.
Social policy of the TNCC is officially based upon the Gandhian principle of Sarvodaya (upliftment of all ...
: From Nov 2003 – Feb 2006.
* MoS (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation : From Jan 2006 - May 2009.
* Union Minister of Shipping : From May 2009 - May 2014.
* In-charge Minister for Labour : From Jan 2014 - May 2014.
Cultural / Recreation / Club
G K Vasan is passionate about
Carnatic Music
Carnatic music, known as or in the South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka. It is ...
and enjoys playing
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by str ...
and
Table Tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong and whiff-whaff, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball, also known as the ping-pong ball, back and forth across a table using small solid rackets. It takes place on a hard table div ...
. He does hold positions as:
* Chairman of Board of Trustees :
Thiruvayiru Thyagabrahma Sabha.
* Life Member :
Tamil Nadu Cricket Association
Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) is the governing body of cricket activities in the India state of Tamil Nadu. It is affiliated to the Board of Control for Cricket in India and governs the Tamil Nadu cricket team. Rupa Gurunath is the for ...
.
* Life Member :
Cosmopolitan Club, Chennai.
* Life Member :
Constitution Club, New Delhi.
Other Interest
G. K Vasan is an avid admirer of
Carnatic music
Carnatic music, known as or in the South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka. It is ...
, happened to develop out of natural bonding between
Cauvery and
Carnatic music
Carnatic music, known as or in the South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka. It is ...
. He is currently the Chairman of board of Trustees for 'Thiruvayiru Thyagabrahma Mahotasa Sabha' which sponsors an 'Annual
Aradhana Festival of Thyagaraja', a tribute to saint composer
Sri Thyagaraja Swamy.
He shows greatest interest in the activities of Sabha like his father
G. K. Moopanar whose period as a president of 'Thiruvayiru Thyagabrahma Mahotasa Sabha' achieved the greatest milestone in making the programme, as an all India and International festival
including then
President of India
The president of India ( IAST: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. Droupadi Mur ...
presiding over the function.
Music is a holy concert to God and a great instrument of National integration. Playing
Nagaswaram
The Nagaswaram (nādḥasvaram) is a double reed wind instrument from South India. It is used as a traditional classical instrument in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala.
This instrument is "among the world's loudes ...
and
Thavil
A ''thavil'' (Tamil:தவில்) or ''tavil'' is a barrel-shaped percussion instrument from Tamil Nadu. It is also widely used in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu and Telangana States of South India. It is used in temple, folk ...
are 'Mangala Isai' means auspicious Music for all occasions.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vasan, G. K, Ayya, President,
Living people
Indian National Congress politicians from Tamil Nadu
Members of the Cabinet of India
1964 births
Union Ministers from Tamil Nadu
People from Thanjavur district
Rajya Sabha members from Tamil Nadu
Tamil Maanila Congress politicians