India splits shipping, road ministries

India splits shipping, road ministries    The Indian government has recently decided to split the ministries that regulate the roads and shipping sectors into two separate entities, a move lauded by goods movement constituents, according to a report Monday in India's Economic Times.
   Economist Kamal Nath, who previously served as a cabinet minister for industry and commerce, is now heading the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. G.K. Vasan is the new shipping minister.
   The heads of the ministries switch fairly often, but the key development is that shipping now has its own sole focus after decades of being lumped into a broad category with roads and highways. Port development has largely languished behind other Asian nations, as the government has relied on private developers and operators to construct and operate modernized cargo terminals. The government is often seen as stifling that development by creating bureaucratic obstacles.
   'We will have greater focus, greater attention and greater say in the government,' Rakesh Srivastava, joint secretary of ports and administration for the Ministry of Shipping, told the newspaper. 'Having an exclusive minister of state for the department will mean all projects would be put on the fast track.' ' Eric Johnson