COVID-19 crisis: Maharashtra expert panel to submit report by April 30

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said an expert committee formed to suggest ways to tackle the coronavirus crisis and to bring the state's economy back on track will submit its report to the government by April 30.

The 11-member panel comprises top bureaucrats J S Sahani, Subodh Kumar, Ramanath Jha, Umeshchandra Sarangi, Jayant Kavale, Sudhir Shirvastav, serving chief secretary of the planning department, principal secretary of the industriesdepartment and secretary of the agriculture department, Pawar said in a statement.

Additional chief secretary of the finance department will act as coordinator of the experts panel. Last week, the state government formed a seven-member sub-committee under Ajit Pawar to tackle the situation and resurrect the states economy. Besides Pawar, Public Works Department Minister Ashok Chavan, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal,

Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil, Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat, Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde and Transport Minister Anil Parab are part of the subcommittee. "The sub-committee will strengthen the fight put up by the states healthcare system, police, local governing bodies and several other government agencies to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the statement said.

It will take decisions on the measures suggested by the 11-member expert panel which will submit its report to the sub-committee by April 30, Pawar said.