CHANDIGARH: Punjab government on Monday took the initial steps towards formulating the state’s post-Covid revival strategy, with the Montek Singh Ahluwalia led group of experts setting up five sub-groups, even as former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh accepted the request to provide overall guidance to the state government to restore the state’s growth and economy.The Group of Experts, headed by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, had its introductory meeting, through Video Conference, with chief minister Amarinder Singh , who disclosed that he had written to Dr Manmohan Singh to guide the state government along with the Group of Experts, and he had kindly accepted. “We have been working hard to steer Punjab to the path of economic growth & post Covid-19 , we will again focus on same,” he also tweeted.Amarinder told the group that the state’s financial situation was grim, with monthly revenue losses to the tune of Rs 3360 crores. This includes losses on account of GST (Rs 1322 cr), State Excise on Liquor (Rs 521 cr), Motor Vehicle Tax (Rs 198 crore), VAT on Petrol & Diesel (Rs 465 cr), Electricity Duty (Rs 243 cr), Stamp Duty (Rs 219 cr) and Non-tax Revenue (Rs 392 cr).The state’s cash inflows had completely dried up, said Amarinder, adding that power consumption had declined by 30 percent with a daily loss of Rs 30 crore in collection of electricity tariff to the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd. Punjab’s industry has been shut down, with less than 1% of then working. In addition, State’s GST arrears of Rs 4365.37 crore are yet to be paid by the Government of India, he lamented.Montek informed the VC that the Group of Experts, which had co-opted two more members to the original 20, had held its first meeting. Five sub-groups – finance, agriculture, health, industry and social aid - had been set up to further streamline the Group’s working, he said, adding that the chairpersons of each of these Groups would mobilise workers to take the agenda forward.