Ministers of 5 states to meet President on 15th Finance Commission

The Finance Ministers of Delhi, Kerala, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and the Chief Minister of Puducherry will meet President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday to complain about the "unfair" terms of reference of the 15th Finance Commission.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia tweeted about the meeting on Wednesday evening.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also tweeted: "Cabinet approved the recommendations and suggestions in the plea to the 15th Finance Commission. The recommendations of the commission raise many concerns for the state."

It came after southern states Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and the union territory of Puducherry made similar complaints.

The Finance Ministers of the states and Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayansami met on April 10 and said that they would submit a joint memorandum to the President on the terms of reference of the 15th Finance Commission.

The southern states protested that they would lose out because of the commission's decision to use the 2011 population census instead of 1971 as a basis for devolution of taxes from the central government to the states, as they had successfully controlled their population.

"Centre asks 15th FC to use 2011 census data instead of 1971 census used so far to determine devolution of taxes. This will further affect the interests of the south. We need to resist," outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said in a tweet on March 23.

He also tagged the Chief Ministers of other southern states in the tweet.

--IANS

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