Leading economists of Assam onTuesday advised Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to prepare a 100-day action plan to revive the state's economy, which has been hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, and set up multiple task forces to ensure that the benefit of welfare measures reach the block levels.As part of his efforts to reach out to various sections of the society, Sonowal held an interactive session with the economists of the state to seek their suggestions to overcome the COVID-19 crisis and bring the economy back on track."As many as 29 economists and experts of the state took part in the interactive session and offered their suggestions for formulating revival plan of the Assam's economy for post-Covid scenario, a statement said.Welcoming the suggestion of setting up economic task forces for taking the benefit of specific revival measures to the block levels, the chief minister highlighted the need for preparing "a time-bound roadmap for achieving short and long term goals to rejuvenate the economy which has been hit by COVID-19 pandemic".Sonowal called for unified approach to tackle the economic slowdown and mentioned the Assam's inherent strengths to make it a self-reliant economy.Underlining the importance of a 100-day action plan for restructuring the economic system, he said the state government is focusing on planned intervention to streamline various sectors such as agriculture and animal husbandry to overcome the crisis.He also stressed on the need to plug the loopholes in the system and cut down unnecessary expenditures, the statement said."Utilising natural soil fertility and climatic advantage for agricultural resurgence in the state are important and we must use this opportunity to make the state self-reliant and production surplus in sectors such as fisheries, agriculture, livestock and horticulture to generate employment opportunities," the chief minister said.Sonowal said over 10 lakh youths have returned to the state in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, and it should be "viewed as an asset instead of a burden".He also called for inter-department coordination for implementing the welfare schemes for farmers, daily wage earners and marginalised people of the society.At the inaugural session, Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Assam was a buoyant economy before the COVID-19 outbreak as the state clocked an impressive GDP growth in the last three financial years.The state's share of Rs 24,000 crore per year from the Central government's pool of funds sustained the economy along with its own earnings of nearly Rs 13,000 crore, he said.In view of financial slowdown, innovative measures must be devised to overcome the crisis, Sarma said.Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Social Welfare Minister Pramila Rani Brahma among others were present in the meeting.
