<p>Yesterday, the Prime Minister’s Council on Trade and Industry met to discuss important issues with regards to India’s economy and industrial outputs. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Chairman of the Council presided the meeting.</p>
<p>The key issues brought up in the crucial meeting included nation’s economic slowdown, shrinking industrial outputs and high interest rates. The meeting agenda also included issues like insufficient coal supply to the power sector. PM Manmohan Singh met leading industrialists to discuss these issues and assure them that the government is taking measures and actions to get back on the growth path very soon.</p>
<p>The industrialists who attended the meet included Indian Business magnate Mukesh Ambani, Ratan Tata, Sunil Mittal, Rahul Bajaj and several others. Deepak Parikh, noted Banker from the HDFC group, Infosys founder N Narayana Murthy Sunil Munjal of Hero Group were other eminent industrialists who were a part of the discussion. Government members who attended the meeting and were a major part of the important discussion include: Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, Environment Minister Jayanti Natarajan, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and PMEAC Chairman C Rangarajan.</p>
<p>Industrialists expressed that approval on mega projects should be prioritized by the government to avoid further delay in execution. They also put forth concern on reforms which allow Foreign Direct Investment in multi-brand retail, banking, insurance and other sectors. The council has been created to foster partnership between the government and businesses in order to improve the nation’s economic growth, which has slowed down to the lowest, in the past two years.</p>
<p>After the meeting, Swati Piramal, Director of Piramal Healthcare commented,” It was a very positive and good interaction with the Prime Minister. He listened to all the industry and different aspects and challenges that industry is facing and he is determined to get back on the growth path.</p>