india

Updated: Apr 15, 2020 16:29 IST

The Uttarakhand government on Wednesday formed a high-level committee to evaluate the economic loss in the current lockdown to check the spread of Covid-19 and suggest ways to improve the state’s economy after the containment period ends, officials said.

The high-level committee formed by chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat will be led by retired IAS officer Indu Kumar Pandey. The other members of the committee are principal secretary (industries) Manisha Panwar, secretary (finance) Sowjanya (uses first name only), additional secretary (finance) Bhupesh Tripathi and additional secretary (planning) Yogendra Yadav.

Follow coronavirus latest updates here.

An official in the chief minister’s office (CMO) who did not wish to be named said, “The committee will evaluate the losses incurred by the state during this lockdown and then contemplate moves to improve the state of economy before making a report with suggestions on the same which will be given soon to the CM.”

He said, “The committee will also, focus on the sectors which will provide employment to the people after the lockdown.”

Earlier on Tuesday, chief minister Rawat held a meeting with his Cabinet to analyse the present situation in the state.

In the meeting which was attended by all the seven ministers of his Cabinet, Rawat emphasised on how to turn the “pandemic into an opportunity.”

He said, “The biggest challenge before the government would be to make sure the economy remained strong amid these changed conditions.”

Citing the return of many labourers to state, Rawat directed the Migration and Rural Development Commission to prepare a report on how to turn the phenomenon into “reverse migration by providing them a better livelihood in the state itself.”

The chief minister also directed all his ministers to check black marketing and hoarding of ration and take strict action against anyone found doing so.

Uttarakhand reported 37 cases of Covid-19 cases till Wednesday afternoon out of which seven have been treated and discharged.