The Tamil Nadu government will constitute an Economic Advisory Council to the Chief Minister to chart out a rapid and inclusive economic growth path for the State, said Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Monday.
The council will include Nobel laureate Esther Duflo of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), former Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan, former Chief Economic Advisor to the Centre, Aravind Subramanian, Development Economist Jean Dreze, and former Union Finance Secretary S. Narayan. “Based on the recommendation of the council, the government will revitalise the State’s economy and ensure that benefits of economic growth reach all segments of society,” said Mr. Purohit in his address to the State Legislative Assembly.
He said that as the first step towards bringing down the overall debt burden and improving fiscal position, a white paper detailing the true state of the State’s finances would be released in July so that the people were fully informed.
The Governor also announced the government’s decision to introduce a separate annual budget for agriculture with the objective of increasing productivity and protecting farmers’ welfare. “The government will take all steps to achieve the target of 125 metric tonnes of food production in 2021-22,” he said, adding that water for Kuruvai cultivation had already been released.
Mr. Purohit said the government would protect the interests of the fishing community and take up the issue of retrieval of Katchatheevu with the Centre
He said as the medical experts had warned of a third wave of COVID-19, the government would take all necessary measures to counter the possible third wave.
Announcing the government’s intention to give priority to Tamil medium and government school students in recruitment of government jobs, he said requisite changes to undo past orders which were contrary to this intent would be undertaken at the earliest.
He also urged the Centre to ensure that people from Tamil Nadu were given priority in appointments in Central government jobs in Tamil Nadu.