NK Singh-led panel to visit next month

Patna: The 15th finance commission team, led by former MP N.K. Singh, will be in Bihar from October 1-4.

The commission will meet representatives of political parties, panchayati raj institutions, urban local bodies, trade, commerce and industries. The Bihar government will also make a presentation before it on the final day, and submit a memorandum to the commission.

The team, comprising Shaktikant Das, Anup Singh, Ashok Lahiri and Ramesh Chandra, will also undertake a field visit to Nalanda and Rajgir on October 2.

Sharing the detailed itinerary of the finance commission, a Bihar finance department official told The Telegraph on Wednesday: "The commission will take part in a seminar on the role of finance commission on October 1. The Asian Development Research Institute will organise the two-hour programme from 10.30am."

The same day, the 15th finance commission will hold a hour-long interactive session from 3PM with representatives of urban local bodies. Another similar interaction will be organised with panchayati raj institutions' representatives.

On October 2, the finance commission team comprising 16-20 members will visit Nalanda and Rajgir. They will stay there for a night.

An interaction will be held with industries and trade representatives the next afternoon before a dinner to be hosted by chief minister Nitish Kumar.

The last day will be kept for the interactive session with the state government. Nitish is likely to take part in this session.

Sources said the government will support the proposal to making 2011 population as the basis for devolution of funds to Bihar.

Another important point to be raised before the commission will be to restore the 11th finance commission formula for devolution of funds under which recommendations had been made to give 12.589 per cent of the funds to Bihar.

The 14th finance commission had brought this percentage down to 9.6 per cent.

A demand for special grant to Bihar to implement the agriculture roadmap and seven resolves, development of places of archaeological importance and climate change impact are also likely to be made.

The finance commission is scheduled to interact with the media in a post-lunch session on the final day of the visit.