COVID-19: Act swiftly to pep up economy, DMK tells AIADMK govt

The DMK on Sunday asked the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu to take expeditious steps to revive the economy and include representatives of sectors including micro, small and medium enterprises and parties in a high level committee tasked to guide the government to overcome COVID-19 challenges.

The Dravidian party president M K Stalin, wanted appointment of representatives of agriculture, weaving and fisheries besides political parties that have representation in the Assembly to apanel headed by former Reserve Bank of India governor C Rangarajan.

On May 9, the government notified constitution of a high level panel headed by Rangarajan, former Governor of Reserve Bank of India in which economists, experts and officials will be members.

An important aspect of the Terms of Reference (ToR) is a mandate to suggest measures to help important sectors of the economy to overcome the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, identify specific reform measures to be taken up by the State government to support and promote the growth of important sectors of the economy.

The 21-member panel will examine fiscal challenges facing the state owing to the pandemic and suggest the way forward to improve its fiscal position.

The committee has been tasked to submit its report to the government within three months.

Welcoming the setting up of the panel, he wondered as towhy representatives of a host of sectors like MSMEs and elected representatives were not appointed to the panel.

Stalin, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly batted for an interim report in a month and initiation of expeditious remedial measures to pep up the economy.

The State budget's (2020-21) applicability to the present context has got altered to a large extent in view of the pandemic and the government should deliberate about planning afresh, he said in a statement here.

To revive economy and industrial growth, and to help people return to normalcy, efforts should be made 'at least from now on' for coordination at all levels and Chief Minister K Palaniswami must get onto 'implementation mode' realising the 'duty and responsibility,' he said.

Asking the government to take efforts on a war-footing on the economy front, he assured DMK's "constructive support' as the main opposition party to the government.