The fallout of the COVID-19 outbreak on the state’s economy has begun to inform. Maharashtra is projected to fall of its 2020-21 revenue target of Rs 3,47,457 crore by 40 percent, consistent with a gaggle of experts appointed by the government.

All commercial activities were halted on March 21, when the government announced a lockdown. They were allowed to resume, albeit during a restricted manner, only in green and orange zones on April 20.

But the damage had already been done.

According to the group, which was constituted on Pan American Day by Deputy Chief Minister and minister of finance Ajit Pawar to suggest a roadmap for the economy’s revival, the state’s coffers will likely get only Rs 2,07,000 crore. Its report, submitted last week to the govt, said the state’s decision on May 4 to freeze dearness allowance of state employees from January this year till July 2021 will help it save Rs 12,000 crore.

It recommended increasing the borrowing limit to five percent of the gross state domestic product from 3 percent, and defer National Small Savings Fund loan repayment by two years to form up partly for the deficit.

The group suggested a “new class of business” to spice up the economy—by supporting e-commerce companies, and drawing up favorable policies for the entertainment and tourism industries. “An ecosystem to facilitate these businesses must be facilitated,” it said. The ecosystem, it explained, comprised reskilling workers, fixing regulatory frameworks, and offering a system.

The experts also asked the govt to right away open key revenue sectors, like land, infrastructure, transport, and excise. The sectors include Metro and road works.

For the agriculture sector, the group recommended a seamless movement of produce, proper functioning of agriculture produce market committees, decentralization of operations, and ensuring crop loans and agricultural credit through NABARD funds.

Warning of a crisis within the workforce, it asked the govt to influence the migrant workers who have left the state to return. “Make special arrangements for his or her transport and ensure proper quarantine and safety measures. Accommodation would wish to be provided for workers either at the plant itself or in hotels, hostels, colleges/ schools with a community kitchen nearby,” the report said. It asserted that each one of those is often done while practicing social distancing in industrial units.

The group comprised retired IAS officials JS Sahni, Subodh Kumar, Ramanath Jha, Umeshchandra Sarangi, Jayant Kawle, and Sudhir Srivastava, and extra chief secretaries from planning and finance departments, and principal secretaries from industries, reforms, finance and agriculture departments.

State Finance Secretary Manoj Saunik refused to discuss the report. “It is into account,” he said. The report is predicted to be placed before the cupboard at a subsequent meeting.

Meanwhile, the BMC’s central purchase department said it's 2.5 lakh PPE kits available at the Andheri sports complex warehouse. of those 75,000 are going to be kept as an emergency reserve and therefore the remaining utilised. Velrasu said the BMC had received an outsized number of PPE kits as donations from organisations and corporates. “The old purchase rate becomes invalid now. once we need more kits, we'll float a young and choose the foremost competitive bidder.”

The Mirror report had highlighted that as per rates fixed on April 30, the BMC was paying more for a full PPE kit than the value of the individual items that make it up. For kits with an N-95 mask, it had been paying Rs 812 each. Individual items of the kit, however, collectively cost Rs 206.50 less—a coverall with a hood and shoe cover goes for Rs 495, a pair of goggles for Rs 59, an N95 mask for Rs 42, and a pair of nitrile gloves for Rs 9.50.

Similarly, the BMC was paying Rs 660 a bit for kits that came with a surgical (three-ply) mask. one three-ply mask costs Rs 11.55, which suggests the entire cost of the individual items was Rs 85 but what the BMC was paying.

PPE kits with N95 masks are for doctors and nurses working in Covid-19 wards, while those working in non-COVID-19 wards and support staff, like security guards, phone operators, and ward attendants, are given kits with a three-ply mask.

The civic body had bought around 5,000 PPE kits a day at these rates.