Mumbai:Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday held discussions with a group of eminent persons on ways of boosting the state's growth rate and reviving its economy which has been badly hit by COVID-19.
These eminent persons, including veteran banker Deepak Parekh and former bureaucrat Vijay Kelkar, are members of the Pune International Centre.
Thackeray held the discussions with the Centres president Raghunath Mashelkar, vice-president Kelkar, Parekh, Shami Mehta and other members via video-conferencing.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio, also took part in the parleys.
According to an official statement, the chief minister stressed on initiating a dialogue with locals before any development work is undertaken and also underscored the need for transparency in carrying it out.
Without naming anyone, Thackeray said this did not happen earlier, but now on people will be taken into confidence and dialogue with them will be increased.
Our government will not go beyond the views of locals while bringing in any project. There is no meaning to a development which is coupled with protests and baton charges, the statement quoted the chief minister as saying.
The Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, that will connect Mumbai to Nagpur in Vidarbha, will give momentum to the development of the state, he added.