Govt seeks advice on redrafting industrial plans

Govt seeks advice on redrafting industrial plans
PRAFULLA MARPAKWAR

Mumbai, Jan 18: The Congress-led Democratic Front government has set up a high-level task force to look into the impact of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreement on Maharashtra, particularly the threats posed to industry, agriculture and agriculture business.

Since the WTO agreement will have an adverse impact on developed states like Maharashtra, the task force will advice the government on redrafting its plans for industrial as well as rural development.

While Principal Secretary (Planning) Asoke Basak will be the convenor of the task force, Kirit Parikh (Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research), Deepak Satavlekar (HDFC), M N Chaini (Maharashtra Economic Development Council), Nasser Munjee (Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation) and B N Makhija (Former Secretary to government of India) will be its members.

On the terms of reference of the task force, a senior official said it will study the vision paper drafted by the planning department, particularly the programmes and strategies with a view to identify gaps and finetune the proposals.

To take of the status of development of the infrastructure sectors like power, development of roads and ports, irrigation development, infotech and entertainment and tourism development and explore the extent of private sector participation in developing Mumbai into a mega business or commercial centre.

To identify key specific schemes or projects, which will be promoted by the government for participation by private sector and propose a time-bound programme for implementing the same and recommend measures for expeditious clearance of the pending projects.

The official said on the occasion of completing one year on October 20, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had released a vision 2005 paper to provide for an accelerated growth rate. The main emphasis of the paper was on accelerating the creation of physical infrastructure, infrastructure for services and development of human capital.

Accordingly, the planning department had spelt out important targets in the areas of power, ports, roads, infotech tourism and irrigation development. On the WTO agreement, the vision paper states that, though it will bring in major opportunities, but at the same time, pose some threats to the existing business as well.

``In the vision paper, we drafted the broad objectives of our strategy. But to finalise the operational details and implementation strategies for each of these areas of development, we have set up the task force,'' the official said.

A working group headed by the Chief Secretary will act on the advice of the task for implementing the vision paper.