Arvind Panagariya
Credit: DH Photo/ B K Janardhan
Thiruvananthapuram: As the 16th finance commission is on a three-day Kerala visit from Sunday as part of finalising its report, the state will press for special considerations in view of the back-to-back natural calamities as well as the socio-economic challenges posed by the increasing old age population and large-scale migrations from the state.
The commission headed by chairman Arvind Panagariya will be holding detailed deliberations with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, ministers, officials and representatives of various forums of elected representatives on Tuesday.
The major demand to be raised by the state government will be to enhance the central allocations and grants to states. Kerala will be pressing its demand that the 2011 census figures should not be considered for fixing allocations to states as it would affect states that effectively implemented population control. Resentment of the state towards centre collecting various cess and surcharges would be also conveyed.
Kerala finance minister K N Balagopal said that the state government had taken all steps very well in advance to strongly present the state's concerns and demands before the finance commission.
In September, Kerala government had organised a conclave of finance ministers of five opposition parties ruled states to discuss the common issues to be taken up before the finance commission.