India Inc hails PM's ministerial team

NEW DELHI: India Inc on Thursday welcomed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's new ministerial team and expressed hope that they will live up to the expectations.

"People and industry have great aspirations ... We hope this team will work committedly to come up with their expectations," Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said.

Ficci Secretary General Amit Mitra said, "It is a team of experience, excellency and balance."

Commenting on the new Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, Mitra said he has good international networks which will help him in dealing with the critical and important issues of the World Trade Organisation.

"He will make an excellent negotiation as he has great diplomatic experience at the global level," Mitra added.

Confederation Of Indian Industry (CII) said: "There is a shuffle which is fine as we have worked with them earlier and looking forward to closely work with them. We are happy to see the portfolio distribution."

"Kamal Nath is known to be a person of great skills ... there are great expectations from him ... highways development should be highest priority for the economy," CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said.

Nath, who was previously the Commerce and Industry Minister will now hold Road Transport and Highways portfolio.