Kamal Nath great negotiator but opposed liberalisation: Mandelson

September 1st, 2009 LONDON - National highways in India will be renumbered so that they reflect a scientific pattern, Road Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath said here Tuesday. Today is the 100th day of my government in India, so I can announce it: we are renumbering our national highways, Kamal Nath told reporters.

July 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Funding will not be a problem as India gets ready to execute over 150 projects worth some $70 billion to spruce up its network of highways and roads in the next three years, said Road, Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath here Wednesday. The minister, who is personally overseeing all road shows to attract money for one of the country's largest public-private initiatives on roads and highways, said speedy development of this infrastructure was a priority for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

July 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - A separate authority will be constituted soon for expediting development of expressways, Road Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath said here Tuesday. I am examining the possibility of setting up an expressway authority, Kamal Nath said at a conclave on national highways.

July 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Acquisition of land remains the biggest challenge in road projects development, Road Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath said here Tuesday. "When I look at the challenges ahead I feel that today land acquisition remains the biggest challenge for road construction," Kamal Nath said while addressing a conclave on highways development.

May 29th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Road Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath Friday said regulations covering India's road network will be overhauled even as he promised to change the physical landscape of the country's transport infrastructure in due time. "We need to look at the old regulatory framework in an entirely new way and that will call for a complete change of mindset.

May 28th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The decision to shift Kamal Nath out of the commerce ministry to be given charge of the road transport and highways portfolio was Thursday seen by India Inc as the most unexpected development in the allocation of portfolios by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Kamal Nath, who was the voice of India at multilateral trade talks and often criticised by rich nations for being over-protective of developing countries, was replaced by Anand Sharma, who was earlier minister of state for information and broadcasting.

May 25th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Congress-led coalition government at the centre may not offer any further fiscal stimulus as the mounting fiscal deficit has left little room for more such measures, a senior cabinet minister said here Monday. I don't know whether the fiscal deficit we have has left any room for another stimulus...

May 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Congress leader Kamal Nath unwittingly injected humour into the sombre swearing-in ceremony of the new government Friday when he began to take his oath before President Pratibha Patil could prompt him, and then started walking off without signing the register. Perhaps a little too eager to be sworn in as minister, Kamal Nath walked up and said in Hindi 'Main Kamal Nath' much to the amusement of the gathering at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

March 31st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The humiliating defeat of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh last year seems to have clipped his wings. State party president Suresh Pachouri used to be seen hovering in the sky in a chopper, campaigning for elections.

February 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government has rationalised the foreign investment norms as there is a tightening in the global markets, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said here Thursday. 'Government has rationalised calculation of FDI (foreign direct investment).

February 9th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Interest rates for the Indian corporate sector were still 'very high' and must be reduced, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said here Tuesday. 'This is under the domain of the RBI (Reserve Bank of India) but my own view is that interest rates are very high and the interest rate should be reduced,' Kamal Nath told reporters ahead of the interim budget Feb 16.

February 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - India will clock a growth of over 7 percent this fiscal, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said here Tuesday. Referring to the general belief that the economic growth would slow down considerably, Kamal Nath said at an awards function organised by the Export Promotion Council: 'The gross domestic product (GDP) will grow by over 7 percent.' Incidentally, India's central bank itself has revised downwards its growth forecast to 7 percent from 7.5-8 percent predicted earlier.

January 30th, 2009 NEW DELHI - A 'disciplined' private sector and an 'aspiring' middle class are the engines of India's economic growth, and will help the country weather the tumultuous times, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said Saturday. 'India's aspiring middle class has demonstrated surprising resilience in counterbalancing the global credit crisis and slump in the global export economy of which India is a key player,' the minister said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

January 29th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Emphasising the need for continued economic liberalisation, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath Friday said improved competitiveness, not isolation, was needed to face global competition. 'Governments must pursue domestic policies that allow their citizens to thrive in the global economy.

January 16th, 2009 LONDON - British Business Minister Lord Peter Mandelson is to lead a 100-strong business delegation to India next week, saying the two countries must not allow the economic downturn to undermine their strong trade ties. Mandelson will lead a team that includes civil nuclear players AMEC and Rolls Royce, infrastructure companies Arup and Benoy, the world's largest law firm Clifford Chance, energy major Cairn, technology and engineering firm GKN, telecom multinational Vodafone and Standard Chartered bank.