PM sets up 2 committees

NEW DELHI, Aug 27: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today set up two advisory panels under his chairmanship to suggest measures to boost a sagging economy.

One is a 10-member economic advisory council and the other is a 12-member body on trade and industry. Leading industrialists and economists of the country have been made members of the two councils, both of which will have N.K. Singh, secretary in the Prime Minister8217;s office, as their member-secretary. Brajesh Mishra, principal secretary to the Prime Minister, will also be a member of both the councils, a PMO release said. The composition of the councils suggests a recognition for inputs from outside the Government.

Among the members of the economic advisory council are former RBI governor I G Patel, Disinvestment Commission chairman G V Ramakrishna, Planning Commission member Montek Singh Ahluwalia and economists P N Dhar and Arjun Sengupta. The council on trade and industry would have as its members Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani, R P Goenka, Kumaramangalam Birla, Nusli Wadia, Parvinder Singh and A C Muthaiah.