HYDERABAD, SEP 9 :  The 16th Finance Commission, chaired by Dr. Arvind Panagariya, held a series of meetings on Monday at Praja Bhavan with representatives from political parties, municipal chairpersons, former sarpanches, business organisations, and members of the State Finance Commission.

The discussions focused on the devolution of funds between the Centre, the state, and urban and rural local bodies.

Dr. Panagariya, along with commission members Ajay Narayan Jha, Annie George Mathew, Dr. Manoj Panda, Soumya Kanti Ghosh, and Secretary Ritvik Pandey, listened to the views and concerns of political leaders, urban local body members, and representatives from various trade organizations. Topics included fiscal distribution and the financial challenges facing both urban and rural local bodies.

Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration, Dana Kishore, briefed the commission on the reforms and developmental activities undertaken by the state’s Municipal Administration department under the 15th Finance Commission. The commission also interacted with mayors and municipal chairpersons to discuss the status of urban local bodies.

In a subsequent meeting with officials from the Rural Development Department, Secretary Lokesh Kumar provided an overview of the department’s achievements, noting that all Gramme Panchayats in the state had achieved ODF+ status. The commission then heard from former sarpanches, ZPTC members, and MPPs.

Chairman of the 2nd State Finance Commission, Siricilla Rajaiah, along with commission members, held discussions with the 16th Finance Commission. Member Secretary Smita Sabharwal gave a presentation on the State Finance Commission’s activities.

The Finance Commission also met with trade organisations such as FICCI and CII. Business representatives emphasised the need for a revised delegation criterion that incentivises high-performing states and called for a special fund to revive industries impacted by COVID-19.

In the final meeting, representatives from various political parties, including S Rajaiah and T Rammohan Reddy (INC), Etala Rajender and Prakash Reddy (BJP), T Harish Rao and Palla Rajeshwar Reddy (BRS), Nandyala Narasimha Reddy (CPM), and Akbaruddin Owaisi (AIMIM), expressed their views on fund allocation and local governance.

Special Chief Secretary Finance K Ramakrishna Rao, Special Secretary Finance Krishna Bhaskar, and other senior finance department officials also attended the meetings.(UNI)