15th Finance Commission holds first meeting

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : The Fifteenth Finance Commission, constituted on November 27, 2017, held its first meeting today at North Block in New Delhi held under the Chairmanship of  N K Singh. It was attended by all the other Members of the Commission including Shaktikanta Das and  Anoop Singh, as well as the part time Members Ashok Lahiri and Ramesh Chand.

The Commission held preliminary discussions on the Terms of Reference for the Fifteenth Finance Commission as per the order made by the President of India and notified by the Ministry of Finance on November 27, 2017.

The Commission recognised that it has been assigned wide-ranging Terms of Reference which needed to be suitably addressed. Towards this objective, it was felt that wide-ranging consultations with all stakeholders including various Ministries of the Union Government, all State Governments, Local Bodies, Panchayats and Political parties of each State Government needed to be expeditiously initiated.

The Commission recognised that there was also need to undertake analytical papers, analysis from leading research organisations within the country and elsewhere to suitably address the Terms of Reference. It is keen to seek academic inputs and inter-actions with leading Think Tanks and domain knowledge experts which would assist the Commission in its work, according to a PIB release.

The Commission approved the setting-up of its office at Jawahar Vyapar Bhawan on Janpath in New Delhi.