Dr. Dhal Singh Bisen, Hon’ble Governor of Uttarakhand

Former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha Constituency No. 15, Balaghat–Seoni, Madhya Pradesh.

Former Cabinet Minister, Government of Madhya Pradesh; represented Barghat Assembly Constituency (122), District Seoni, Madhya Pradesh.

Father’s Name: Late Shri Sewaram Bisen

Mother’s Name: Late Smt. Sona Bai Bisen

Date of Birth: 14 May 1952

Place of Birth: Village Pipariya, Tehsil Barghat, District Seoni

Wife: Smt. Bhanumati Bisen

Children: One son, Dr. Lokesh Bisen (M.S. Orthopaedics), and two married daughters.

Educational Qualifications: A.V.M.S. (Ayurveda Vigyanacharya with Modern Medicine and Surgery), D.H.B.

Profession: Agriculture and Medical Practice

Interests: Social Service, Rural Development, Agriculture, Environment and Water Conservation.

Brief Profile of Public and Political Life

1975–1990: Practised medicine in rural areas. From 1975 to 1990, he provided medical services in Village Gangerua, Dhapara, Block Barghat, District Seoni.

1990: First elected to the Ninth Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh from the Barghat Assembly Constituency.

1993: Elected to the Tenth Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh.

1998: Elected to the Eleventh Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh. During this period, he served as a member of the Assembly’s Committees on Public Undertakings, Assurances, Rules and Estimates, as well as the Consultative Committee of the Water Resources Department and the Public Works Department. He also served as the Whip of the Bharatiya Janata Party Legislative Party.

2003: Elected for the fourth consecutive time from the Barghat Assembly Constituency. He served as Cabinet Minister for Forests, Transport and Mineral Resources. He also served as Chairman of the Forest Development Corporation, Minor Forest Produce Federation, State Transport Corporation and Mineral Development Corporation.

2004: Assumed charge as Cabinet Minister for the School Education and Jail Departments.

2012–2013: Served as Chairman of the Fourth State Finance Commission.

2019: Elected from Lok Sabha Constituency No. 15, Balaghat–Seoni.

Membership of Various Parliamentary Committees

Standing Committees: Served as a member of the Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports; the Committee on Forests, Environment and Climate Change; and the Committee on Science and Technology.

Joint Parliamentary Committees: Served as a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2022. He also served as a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill.

Consultative Committees: Served as a member of the Consultative Committees of the Ministry of Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Major Initiatives During His Tenure as Minister

As Minister for Forests

In 2003–04, he formulated the Tendu Leaf Policy, which has subsequently been implemented in several states.

Previously, revenue from this sector was less than ₹1 crore. Following the policy changes, net income reportedly increased to ₹16 crore in the first year, ₹35 crore in the second year and ₹65 crore in the third year, without any additional expenditure. Following the effective implementation of the policy, the income is stated to have increased to more than ₹1,200 crore.

He also initiated eco-tourism in the Forest Department and introduced changes in forest management policy.

As Minister for Education

During his tenure, he promoted several educational initiatives, including the Gaon Ki Beti Yojana, the bicycle distribution scheme for girls, and the free school uniform distribution scheme.

Madhya Pradesh initiated bicycle distribution for schoolgirls under this programme. He also facilitated the establishment of Model Excellence Schools in every development block, introduced career guidance for students, and promoted transparent recruitment of teachers through Vyapam.

He also worked towards establishing a high school every 5 kilometres and a higher secondary school every 8 kilometres.

During his tenure, Dr. Singh initiated the Mowgli Festival organised by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in 2004. The festival is held annually at Pench National Park in Seoni, where children are educated about environmental conservation.

Strict measures were taken to curb examination malpractice and the activities of examination mafias. For the first time, Excellence Schools were established across all 313 development blocks of the state to promote quality education. Career guidance programmes for students were also introduced.

As Minister for Mineral Resources and Transport

As Minister for Mineral Resources and Transport, he facilitated the effective implementation of the respective mineral and transport policies, which, according to the original document, contributed to a substantial increase in the state’s revenue.

As Minister for Jails

During his tenure as Jail Minister, he worked to improve the conditions of prisons across the state.

Priesthood training for inmates, organised through the Gayatri Parivar, was introduced in all central jails of Madhya Pradesh.

Other initiatives included the establishment of gaushalas in prisons, water harvesting facilities and educational activities under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

To help inmates lead dignified lives after completing their sentences, vocational training facilities were introduced in motor winding, computer education, management and motor mechanics. He also promoted the modernisation of prisons.

Major Works During His Parliamentary Tenure

During his tenure as a Member of Parliament, he worked towards the completion of broad-gauge railway projects in Seoni and Balaghat districts. Railway connectivity was expanded to improve connections between the districts and major state and national capitals.

He worked towards developing Seoni Railway Station as a Model Railway Station and facilitated the construction of a railway rake point.

In the Naxal-affected areas of Balaghat district, a plan worth approximately ₹260 crore was prepared for the construction of 33 roads and 17 bridges.

Approval was obtained from the Central Government for widening the old National Highway passing through Seoni city to four lanes and for constructing a railway overbridge at the railway crossing on Nagpur Road.

A Passport Office was established in Seoni.

FM radio broadcasting was introduced in Seoni.

The establishment of Kendriya Vidyalayas was initiated in Barghat, Seoni district, and Tirori, Balaghat district.

Approval was obtained for five railway overbridges in Balaghat.

He worked on the development of the Gondia–Balaghat–Nainpur route in connection with its designation as a National Highway.

Under the Bharatmala Phase I project, a four-lane road, including a bridge over the Wainganga River, was developed along the Seoni–Balaghat route from Village Lawada to the Maharashtra border.

Training facilities were introduced at the Sukatra airstrip in Seoni district.