After the reshuffle of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's central cabinet, Piyush Goyal on Wednesday was appointed as Textile Minister. He also retained his charge as Ministry of Commerce, Consumer Affairs. However, Goyal was released from the Ministry of Railways which has now been given to new cabinet entrant Ashwini Vaishnav.
Vaishnaw will be the new Railways, Communications and IT Minister. Earlier, Ravi Shankar Prasad was axed as the Communications and IT Minister, while the Railways portfolio was with Piyush Goyal.
While Goyal retained Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Smriti Irani who was earlier the textiles minister retained her portfolio as the Minister of Women and Child Development.
The ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution has recently put out the draft e-commerce rules for consumer protection. The rules propose to limit so-called ‘flash sales’ of goods and services by e-commerce companies by proposing to ban back-to-back sales that limit customer choice, increase prices and do not provide a level playing field. Goyal last week said that once the draft rules are finalized, the government will issue necessary clarification in its existing FDI policy for e-commerce which comes under the ministry of commerce and industry. Retaining both portfolios will help Goyal synergise e-commerce policy in India.
With great potential for garments exports at a time government is eyeing $400 billion shipments in FY22, the textile ministry portfolio is believed to empower Goyal to establish harmony with commerce and industry ministry.
