HYDERABAD, APRIL 12: The Congress in Andhra Pradesh has got into a fix over the inclusion of Jairam Ramesh, head of the AICC's economic cell, in a seven-member economic advisory committee set up by the Telugu Desam government."We will leave it to the high command to examine the issue and decide whether to permit Ramesh to be on the panel," Congress spokesman K Rosaiah said here today.The advisory committee, comprising experts in public finance, banking and economy, was set up yesterday with the aim of speeding up reforms, exploring avenues to augment resource mobilisation and revamping fiscal management.The state Congress unit had earlier brought to the notice of party president Sonia Gandhi what it called the "objectionable activities" of Ramesh and had opposed his taking a place on the board of directors of the Indian School of Business set up here at Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's initiative.State Finance Minister Y Ramakrishnudu, however, has defended Ramesh's inclusion in the panel. "Politics and economics should not be mixed up. Our exercise to set right the state's economy goes beyond politics," he said today."The Advisory Committee will examine Centre-state financial relations and suggest measures to accelerate reforms and improve revenues," Ramakrishnudu said.The other members of the panel are the director of the Administrative Staff College of India T L Sankar, member of Tenth Finance Commission B P R Vithal, Ashok Lahiri of the National Institute of Public Finance, director of the Centre for Policy Studies Isher Ahluwalia and economists Ila Bhat and Ashok Gulati.The TDP government's move to rope in Ramesh reflected its "bankruptcy and inability to set right its own house", Rosaiah, who had served as state finance minister, remarked."That the state government is seeking the help of a known Congressman speaks volumes about its fiscal management," he said and dubbed the panel as "an eyewash and yet another attempt to fool the people"."It is very embarrassing for us. We will leave it to the high command to examine the activities of Ramesh and take a decision," Rosaiah said.Meanwhile, Ramakrishnudu said all the members of the panel had consented to being included in it and its first meeting would be held within a week."The panel will also give its suggestions on zero-based budgeting and measures to prune the non-plan expenditure," the Minister said.The aim of the current exercise was to set right the economy in tune with the goals enunciated in the state government's Vision-2020 document, he said.
