The Government of Telangana is planning to present a long list of demands to the 14 Finance Commission here on Friday apart from seeking a judicious share in taxes collected by the Centre. The Commission headed by former Governor of RBI Y.V. Reddy along with other members including member-secretary A.N. Jha arrived here on Thursday. They were received by Finance Minister E. Rajender. Later in the night, Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan hosted dinner for the Commission members. During the day-long meeting, the panel will deliberate with Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and a host of State Government officials. Besides, representatives of political parties, local bodies and chambers of commerce would also meet the panel during the day. Officials of the Finance Department and Advisor (Finance) to State Government have prepared a detailed memorandum on the socio-economic status of the newly carved-out State and its financial needs in the wake of proportionate reduction in the revenue projections for Hyderabad and rest of TS after AP shifts its capital due to lesser floating population and lesser revenue from sales and taxes. Besides, nine out of 10 districts in Telangana are backward, according to the Planning Commission norms.
Finance Department officials stated that the government would seek review of the system of weightage for deciding States’ share of tax revenue collected by the Centre. The 13 Finance Commission had given 32.5 p.c. share to the combined AP in the taxes collected by the Centre in the State. The State is planning to seek financial assistance to all its flagship schemes including the drinking water grid, 2BHK housing scheme, new lift irrigation schemes envisaged to irrigated parched lands and others.
