Meghalaya economic task force to formulate sector-based strategies

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya cabinet on Friday decided that the recently-formed Chief Minister's Economic Task force will work upon sector-specific strategies to tackle the economic disruption caused by the coronavirus-induced nationwide lockdown.
"The Cabinet met today to discuss the CM's Economic Task Force that will focus on reviving and modifying #Meghalaya's economy in the #COVID19 scenario," chief minister Conrad Sangma, who is also the chairman of the apex committee of the task force, tweeted.Chairing the first meeting of the task force on Friday, Sangma said, "The objective of this task force is to look into the prevailing situation and suggest measures to initiative interventions in core sectors like agriculture and tourism and revive the state's economy."

He added, "Right policies for investment in the right sectors with right will help us prepare a roadmap to strengthen our existing industries and infrastructure."

The Chief Minister's Economic Task Force has been divided into apex committee, executive committee and working groups. Only cabinet ministers and senior government officials are members of the apex committee. The executive committee, which is also headed by Sangma, will include academicians, apart from ministers and government officials. The working groups will be headed by senior government officials and comprise members of the finance, revenue and investment, infrastructure and labour, agriculture and allied sectors, rural poverty alleviation and livelihood, industries and trade, entrepreneurship skills and tourism departments.
The working groups will identify sectoral intervention to generate employment and livelihood opportunities within two weeks. It is also mandated to identify critical policy reforms and sectoral strategies for immediate and medium-term needs and review the existing schemes for better utilization of resources.
The ruling National People's Party-led government has also released the Meghalaya Economic Survey, 2020, for businesses, entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals to understand the effect of the pandemic on the state's economy.