The state government on Thursday announced as many as eight different committees to work on the vision for Viksit Maharashtra 2047, similar to Viksit Bharat 2047. While the 31-member consultative panel will be headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik will head the 17-member coordination panel.
Interestingly, both the panels will have the chief executive officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog or a nominee of his, but no representation has been given to MITRA – Maharashtra Institution for Transformation, which works on the lines of the central body. The omission of MITRA is noticeable when its CEO, Praveen Pardeshi, has recently been appointed as the Chief Economic Advisor to the CM with one of the clear mandates that says – will draft long-term economic policy (Vision 2027) and formulate a strategy for the development of growth.
The decision (GR) for the committees issued by the Planning Department clearly says the state wants to work on a vision for Maharashtra 2047 to be able to achieve the goal of a 1 trillion dollar economy by 2027 and a 3.5 trillion dollar economy by 2047.
The 31-member panel headed by the CM includes both the deputy chief ministers, 11 ministers, the Chief Secretary, secretaries of 14 departments in Mantralaya, the CEO or his nominee from NITI Aayog and an invitee, with the permission of the chief of the panel. Here, Pardeshi may find a place in the later stage, a murmur goes on in Mantralaya.
The coordination committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, has secretaries from the 14 departments, the CEO of NITI Aayog and an invitee, with the permission of the chairman of the committee.
Besides, the state has announced committees for the sectoral studies – agriculture, industry and services, infrastructure, social sector, administrative sector and environment. These committees will be headed by the secretaries of the respective departments and heads of a few other departments as their members. Each committee can include an expert from the field.
Notably, the Planning Department, which has issued the decisions, is headed by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, and the appointment of Praveen Pardeshi as the CM’s Chief Economic Advisor is being viewed as an attempt to undermine his supremacy.
