Finance Ministers of 6 states to discuss 15th Finance Commission on Monday

Finance ministers of six states, including host Andhra Pradesh, will meet on Monday to discuss the terms of reference of the 15th Finance Commission and its fallout for states.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will inaugurate the day-long conclave at the Secretariat at 10 am, state Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said in a statement on Sunday.

Andhra Pradesh alone would stand to lose Rs 80 billion per annum because of the 15th Finance Commission's recommendation to use 2011 census for devolution of funds, the minister claimed.

Similarly, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, Puducherry, Odisha, Punjab, West Bengal, Sikkim, Meghalaya and Mizoram would suffer badly, he said.

"We will adopt a resolution against the 15th Finance Commission and submit it to the President," Ramakrishnudu added.

Finance ministers of West Bengal, Kerala, Delhi, Punjab and Karnataka would attend the conclave, being held as a follow-up to the one in Thiruvananthapuram last month.

The finance minister said the terms of reference of 15th Finance Commission recommend using population from 2011 census. However, the ToR does not specify the weightage to be given to the population, he added.

"In the 14th Finance Commission, 2011 population was given 10 per cent weightage whereas 1971 population was given 17.5 per cent," Ramakrishnudu said.

The Finance Ministers conclave would push for the 2011 population weightage to remain at 10 per cent and that the 17.5 per cent weightage for 1971 population be allocated to performance-based indicators.