Kamal Nath has been gifted with a new portfolio this time. Nath was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980. The 63-year-old served as Union Cabinet Minister of Commerce and Industry since Jun 23, 2004.

Kamal Nath was named the FDI Personality of the Year 2007 by the FDI magazine and the Financial Times for his "active efforts to attract foreign businesses to India, boost exports, and promote trade and investment".

Issues

India has a major challenge of building the roads and infrastructure. This needs improvement in design, modernisation of construction techniques and the use of new technologies.  India also needs speedy development of roads and flyovers in cities.

What he plans to do

Nath said he would go for major changes in the ministry to put road construction back in top gear.  His focus would be on implementation of projects on the ground rather than making big plans, an indication that the sector will get a major boost.

"Sadkon ko napa jaata hai, plans ko nahin (roads are measured and not the plans). Lot of thought has been given to planning in the past two years. Now we have to deliver. Performance is evaluated on the basis of kilometres of roads that are built. Now our agenda is of change. The system has to be overhauled so that work on the ground happens. Planning has to be delivered on roads," he said

"Some of the old regulatory frameworks relating to transportation like multiple permit and Motor Vehicles Act have to be looked at from new perspectives. Old laws have to be amended," he said.