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The Ministry of Commerce and Industry administers two departments, the Department of Commerce and the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion. The head of the Ministry is a Minister of Cabinet rank. As of May 2008, the minister of commerce and industry is is Kamal Nath.
Department of Commerce
The department is entrusted with formulating and implementing the foreign trade policy and responsibilities relating to multilateral and bilateral commercial relations, state trading, export promotion measures, and development and regulation of certain export oriented industries and commodities.
In order for the smooth functioning, the Department is divided into eight divisions:[1]
- Administrative and General Division
- Finance Division
- Economic Division
- Trade Policy Division
- Foreign Trade Territorial Division
- State Trading & Infrastructure Division
- Supply Division
- Plantation Division
The subjects under the administrative control of the Department include:[2]
Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion
This department was established in the year 1995, and in the year 2000 Department of Industrial Development was merged with it. This department is responsible for formulation and implementation of promotional and developmental measures for growth of the industrial sector, keeping in view the national priorities and socio-economic objectives. While individual Administrative Ministries look after the production, distribution, development and planning aspects of specific industries allocated to them, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion is responsible for the overall Industrial Policy. It is also responsible for facilitating and increasing the FDI flows to the country.
Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion is also responsible for intellectual property rights relating to patents, designs, trademarks, and Geographical Indication of Goods and oversees the initiative relating to their promotion and protection.
Administrative Setup
The department is headed by the Minister of State for Industries. The incumbent[when?] is Ashwani Kumar. It functions under the overall control of the Minister of Commerce and Industry.
References
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