Jha to head Panel, JK IAS officer appointed member
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 28: President Droupadi Murmu on recommendations of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted a Finance Commission for Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Ladakh and Lakshadweep which will be headed by a Chairperson and comprised one member and another part-time member.
Anil Kumar Jha, a retired IAS officer has been nominated as Chairman of the Commission while Parshant Goyal, Principal Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department, Jammu and Kashmir will be the member. Dr Amey Sapre, Associate Professor, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy will be the part-time member of the Commission.
The Chairman and Members of the Commission will hold office for a period of nine months with effect from January 1, 2024.
“The Commission will review financial position of Panchayats and Municipalities and recommend distribution between the administration of the Union Territories (for whom the Panel has been set up) and their respective Panchayats and Municipalities of the net proceeds of taxes, duties, tolls and fee leviable by the respective UT administration,’’ an official notification issued by the Home Ministry said.
The Commission, it added, will also decide grants-in-aid to Panchayats and Municipalities of the UTs from the Consolidated Fund of India and measures needed to improve financial position of Rural and Urban Local Bodies besides capacity to enlarge their resource base.
“While making recommendations, the Commission shall, inter alia, have regard to the objective of balancing the receipts and expenditure on revenue account of the UT and their Panchayats and Municipalities, thereafter, in a manner that sufficient surplus is generated for capital investments,’’ the notification read.
It said the Commission will also have regard to the need for ensuring reasonable returns on investments by the Panchayats and Municipalities to commercial undertakings, power projects, Public Sector Enterprises and such other institutions.
Other issues to be decided by the Commission include the Revenue resources of Panchayats and Municipalities based on existing resources and taxes, duties, tolls and fee proposal to be levied or appropriated by the Panchayats and Municipalities, to coincide with the period of the National Finance Commission and also assess expenditure needs for this period and broad areas of development to be undertaken by the Panchayats and Municipalities, the long term perspective plans and developmental goals of the UT, the order of investments required to achieve these goals and possible sources for the required resources and the scope for better fiscal management consistent with efficiency and economy in expenditure.
The Commission may also evolve a system for monitoring physical progress of project or schemes against financial outlays made available.
“In making its recommendations on various matters, the Commission shall adopt the latest population figures of 2011 census in all such cases where population is a factor for providing grants-in-aid or for the assessment of taxes, duties, tools, fees and other such matters, to the Panchayats and Municipalities,’’ the notification said.
While making recommendations within a period of nine months, the Commission shall indicate basis on which it has arrived at its findings and make available the Panchayat and Municipality-wise estimates of receipts and expenditure.
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