India Inc praises latest cabinet reshuffle
What's the story
The Indian industry praised Modi for the latest cabinet reshuffle and said that it was "carefully strategized" to give a fresh boost to the process of India's development. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) President Shobana Kamineni remarked that this reshuffle assured them that making reforms, facilitating ease of business, and timely implementation are still the priorities of the government.
03 Sep 2017
Cabinet reshuffle: Interesting facts about the new ministers
In its third cabinet reshuffle, the Modi government has inducted nine new faces and promoted four Ministers of State to cabinet rank. While Nirmala Sitharaman became defence minister, Piyush Goyal got Railways. Dharmendra Pradhan (Oil) and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (Minority Affairs) continue in their previous ministries, but at elevated positions.
Bureaucrats
Former administrators with little political experience chosen
Modi chose the nine new ministers on the basis of their "future potential". That's why many have little political experience but respectable backgrounds. Among the four former administrators, former Representative of India to UN, Hardeep Singh Puri, and former Delhi Development Authority land commissioner KJ Alphons aren't even MPs. Former Home Secretary RK Singh and retired IPS officer Satya Pal Singh are first-time MPs.
Performance
Renewed focus on performance
CII pointed out the various measures that have been taken by the NDA government, like Goods and Services Tax, tackling banks' non-performing assets (NPAs) or bad loans, introducing the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code and others. All these have helped in bolstering the economy. ASSOCHAM said that this showed a renewed focus on performance and drive to achieve targets set for each of these ministries.
Quote
Make in India
ASSOCHAM President Sandeep Jajodia said, "A full time Defence Minister, that too a woman for the first time, would give a focus on the programmes like Make in India in strategic sectors of the country,"