Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave a clear indication Sunday that an independent regulator will soon revamp the process of environmental clearances for major projects, but said there would be no return to the “hated licence-permit raj of the pre-1991 era”.
This effectively gives a quiet burial to the “flip-flop” regime of Mr Jairam Ramesh.
The Prime Minister said the National Environment Appraisal and Monitoring Authority, to be set up soon, would be staffed by professionals and its decisions would be subject to scrutiny. This follows the stalling of several major industrial and mining projects when the ministry, under Mr Ramesh, refused to clear them.