Chandrababu-headed panel on Currency ban to hold maiden meeting in Mumbai tomorrow

Amaravati: The Central committee of chief ministers and experts on demonetisation-related issues, headed by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, will hold its first formal meeting at the RBI headquarters in Mumbai tomorrow.

"We will discuss a whole range of issues related to demonetisation. Focus will be on transforming the country to a digital economy," Chandrababu, convenor of the committee, said here today.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Sikkim CM Pawan Kumar Chamling, Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya and Amitabh Kant CEO, NITI Aayog, are members of the committee.

The 'best' practices being followed in Andhra Pradesh like AP Purse mobile application, ePoS-enabled ration distribution etc would be showcased at the meeting, he said.

"Encouraging digital payments is the only solution to the current crisis and spreading digital literacy to at least one member of each family is the key," Naidu stated.

Asked why the focus was solely on digital transactions whereas demonetisation was undertaken primarily to curb black money and corruption, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister said the change was inevitable.

"Yes, there is pain (to common people) as there is still shortage of currency notes. But change is inevitable and we have to transform into a digital economy," he remarked.

Naidu once again found fault with the introduction of Rs 2,000 notes.

"That would not help the poor," he added.