CM to head 7-member Strategic Advisory Committee to Boost State Economy

DEHRADUN, 6 Jun: The Uttarakhand government will soon be constituting a seven member Strategic Advisory Committee under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to further strengthen the state’s economy. This step comes after the completion of the tenure of consulting firm McKinsey, with whom the state government had signed an MoU about two and a half years ago. McKinsey’s term ended on 4th June.

Principal Secretary of the Planning Department, R Meenakshi Sundaram, has issued orders for the formation of this committee after receiving approval from the Governor. The committee will focus on increasing production, creating more jobs, promoting savings and investment, and expanding domestic demand. The stated objective is to speed up development by making the best use of the state’s skilled workforce in sectors like industry, agriculture, horticulture, health, education, tourism, and services, as well as by improving infrastructure and encouraging innovation.

The committee will include the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Planning) as ex-officio members, retired IAS officers Indu Kumar Pandey and Dr Rakesh Kumar, social worker Manu Gaur, and the CEO of SETU Aayog as ex-officio member secretary. The CM can also nominate up to three more members as needed. Senior officials from various departments can also be invited as special invitees for expert committee meetings.

The committee’s tenure will be three years, extendable by up to two more years with the CM’s approval. Members currently serving in government posts will not receive any extra honorarium, while other members will get Rs 25,000 per meeting. Travel and daily allowances will be provided as per state government rules. In the CM’s absence, the Chief Secretary will chair meetings, and if the Model Code of Conduct is in force, the seniormost member by age will preside.

The committee’s main responsibilities include preparing long-term plans and projects to accelerate Uttarakhand’s GDP growth, monitoring ongoing schemes, and coordinating with departments. It will also identify areas for improvement in agriculture, horticulture, health, education, tourism, Ayush, and infrastructure over the next two years.