Former minister for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh is being blamed for the slide in India’s industrial output by halting more than 60 large projects and holding up another 450 projects. During his tenure, the ministry was enmeshed in various controversies. His “uncalled for” remarks on certain issues drew flak from all quarters.
He is now being replaced by former Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan while he has been moved out to the rural development ministry.
Both the coal and power ministries in their intern-ecine public spats with the environment ministry repeatedly held Mr Ramesh responsible for their downward revision of production targets.