India in the WTO

The Economic Times reports that the new Cabinet might have separate ministers for industry and trade departing from the usual practice of one ministry looking after both industry and commerce including trade. There were hints earlier about an imminent restructuring of the commerce ministry. This might be a good move, as both trade and industry are big enough responsibilities to deserve separate ministers. How will this affect the influence of industry on trade negotiations? This might also mean that Kamal Nath might not be the trade minister. Another name being mentioned is Mr. Kapil Sibal, a lawyer turned politician who was minister for science and technology in the previous cabinet. Here is the report in full:

Commerce, industry likely to part ways
26 May 2009, 0241 hrs IST, Amiti Sen, ET Bureau

NEW DELHI: The government is looking at splitting the commerce and industry ministry into two ministries with two full Cabinet ministers. The commerce ministry will deal primarily with all trade-related areas previously under the commerce department, and the responsibilities of the industry ministry will be much more than what was earlier held by the department of industrial policy and promotion, a government official has said.
In addition to the administration and monitoring of industrial growth and laying down of foreign direct investment guidelines, new sectors, such as heavy industry and micro, small & medium enterprises, will also come under the purview of the new industry ministry being considered.
“The government is seriously considering dividing the commerce and industry ministry into two. Names of the Cabinet ministers, who will head the two separate ministries, are likely to be announced on Tuesday,” an official, who did not wish to be named, said.
Former commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath is a likely candidate for the industry ministry, another official said on conditions of anonymity. The front-runners for the commerce ministry include Salman Khursheed and Kapil Sibal.
If Kamal Nath is not satisfied with the industry ministry, despite the added responsibilities, he could be given the human resources development ministry, the second official added.
Commerce, as an individual ministry, will continue to hold a lot of weight, as important areas, such as export-import policy, bilateral trade negotiations, the World Trade Organisation and the special economic zones (SEZs), will fall under its purview.
With senior politicians in the UPA scrambling for important portfolios, the split in the commerce and industry ministry can also be looked at as a move to accommodate more.

The Indian Express reports:

Kapil Sibal, Kamal Nath and Moily are chief stars of every ministry speculator, having been assigned almost every important ministry below Raisina Hill. Kamal Nath, who was hoping to go up the Hill, is now slightly disappointed and is learnt to have held lengthy meetings with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee but came out with no firm answer. In fact, at one point, Defence Ministry mandarins had the bio-data of both A K Antony and Kamal Nath ready while the suspense was on.

Berths now being tossed around between the three are Law, Commerce, Roads, Shipping and Transport, Human Resource Development, even Environment and Forests. While Kamal Nath is said to be not so keen to return to his old beat despite the persuasion, Sibal makes no bones about the fact that he will not accept the Law portfolio.

Moily, incidentally, has no such preference but does not particularly like being in the dark. “I am more eager than you to know what is my ministry, but no phone call has come,” he said.

Last night CNN-IBN was reporting:

CP Joshi, the Rajasthan Congress President, will be the new Rural Development Minister, Kamal Nath will get Commerce and Company Affairs, Kapil Sibbal is likely to get either HRD or Commerce portfolios while Ambika Soni, the tourism minister in the previous government, could now be the new Health Minister.