Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Apr 13: In a significant move aimed at bolstering Maharashtra’s economic trajectory, the state government on Saturday appointed retired bureaucrat and current CEO of the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA), Pravin Pardeshi, as the Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) to the Chief Minister. The newly created post is modelled on the lines of the Chief Economic Advisor at the Centre.
Pardeshi, who will enjoy the rank of Minister of State, will hold office during the tenure of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. His appointment was confirmed through an official notification issued late Saturday evening by the General Administration Department.
With Maharashtra setting its sights on becoming a trillion-dollar economy, Pardeshi’s role is expected to be crucial in guiding the economic vision and strategy of the state. He will head the Directorate of Economics and Statistics and the Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Centre to help establish a robust, data-driven administrative framework.
His expansive mandate includes the preparation of Vision 2047, formulating policies to boost Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), advising on taxation, land, labour, and fiscal matters, and submitting quarterly financial reports to the state Cabinet on behalf of the Chief Minister.
Additionally, he will evaluate financial implications of policy proposals, especially from the Finance Department, and play an advisory role in shaping agriculture, industrial, and green energy policies.
Pardeshi’s responsibilities also extend to strategising incentive structures for sectors like electric vehicles, MSMEs, logistics, and supporting initiatives related to border area development and District GDP growth. He will supervise the rollout of projects under NITI Aayog’s Urban Growth Hubs and District Strategic Plans.
His duties also include preparing strategy budget estimates, prioritising sectoral investments, and liaising with top government bodies such as RBI, Ministry of Finance, and Department of Economic Affairs, as well as international financial institutions including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and UNDP.
Pardeshi will take the lead in building a dashboard for the CM's Office to monitor Maharashtra’s fiscal health, and leverage Artificial Intelligence to detect gaps in infrastructure and the unorganised economy.
He will also help in shaping policies to incentivise industries, SEZs, and further the ease of doing business in Maharashtra, while engaging with industrial forums like CII, FICCI, and start-ups.
Furthermore, Pardeshi will oversee knowledge management and capacity building, conduct lectures and workshops, guide young economists, and form study groups focused on employment, inflation, and trade.
He is also tasked with recommending measures to address the state’s revenue deficit, rising debt burden, and sectoral slowdowns, reinforcing Maharashtra’s ambition to become a beacon of sustainable economic development.