GANDHINAGAR, MAY 28
A committee headed by former Union finance secretary Hasmukh Adhia on Thursday submitted an interim report to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani suggesting measures to rebuild the state’s economy severely affected by the novel coronavirus crisis.
The report was submitted to the chief minister at a meeting held in Gandhinagar, official sources said.
However, the contents of the report were not shared by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
The committee will give its final report regarding the financial crisis that the state is passing through in the next 15 days, the CMO said.
The six-member committee headed by Adhia was formed on May 13. It was tasked with giving a “comprehensive action plan (immediate, medium-term, and long-term) with necessary inputs” within a month.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the state and its economy to a large extent. The demand-and-supply chain stands crippled with the informal sector and MSMEs being hugely impacted,” the government had said at the time of formation of the committee.
The government had also expressed concern over the industrial disruption caused by the exodus of migrant workers from Gujarat, the second worst-hit state by coronavirus after neighbouring Maharashtra.
The committee was also asked to come up with a strategy to create a conducive environment in Gujarat to attract foreign companies that are looking to relocate their bases from other countries.
Besides Adhia, the other panel members are former IIM-A professor Ravindra Dholakiya, senior tax consultant Mukesh Patel, financial expert Pradeep Shah, retired IAS officer Kirit Shelat and VC and MD of GIDC M Thennarasan.
