The Dravidian party president M K Stalin, wantedappointment of representatives of agriculture, weaving andfisheries besides political parties that have representationin the Assembly to apanel headed by former Reserve Bank ofIndia governor C Rangarajan.
On May 9, the government notified constitution of ahigh level panel headed by Rangarajan, former Governor ofReserve Bank of India in which economists, experts andofficials will be members.
An important aspect of the Terms of Reference (ToR) isa mandate to suggest measures to help important sectors of theeconomy to overcome the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, identifyspecific reform measures to be taken up by the Stategovernment to support and promote the growth of importantsectors of the economy.
The 21-member panel will examine fiscal challengesfacing the state owing to the pandemic and suggest the wayforward to improve its fiscal position.
The committee has been tasked to submit its report tothe government within three months.
Welcoming the setting up of the panel, he wondered astowhy representatives of a host of sectors like MSMEs andelected representatives were not appointed to the panel.
Stalin, who is also the Leader of Opposition in theAssembly batted for an interim report in a month andinitiation of expeditious remedial measures to pep up theeconomy.
The State budget's (2020-21) applicability to thepresent context has got altered to a large extent in view ofthe pandemic and the government should deliberate aboutplanning afresh, he said in a statement here.
To revive economy and industrial growth, and to helppeople return to normalcy, efforts should be made 'at leastfrom now on' for coordination at all levels and Chief MinisterK Palaniswami must get onto 'implementation mode' realisingthe 'duty and responsibility,' he said.
Asking the government to take efforts on a war-footingon the economy front, he assured DMK's "constructive support'as the main opposition party to the government. VGNSS