Finance Commission report by Dec 31
By a Staff
Reporter
GUWAHATI, Aug 30: The third Assam State Finance Commission today
started consultations with economists, intellectuals, political parties and
heads of local bodies for placing its recommendations related to the funding
and functioning of the local bodies. The six-member commission, headed by
former Asom Chief Secretary HN Das, has been asked to submit its report to the
Asom Governor by December 31.
Speaking to The
Sentinel, Das said, Article 243 of the Indian Constitution and Schedule 11
and 12 have conferred powers to the Panchayati Raj institutions,
municipalities and town committees. The task of the third State Finance
Commission is to suggest the distribution of funds and fix the duties and
responsibilities of the local bodies, which, in fact, are considered to be the
part of the government.
While the
commission started its journey on August 1, it has a huge task ahead of it to
touch 2,400 panchayats and 88 municipalities and town committees, and hence,
it is hard to say how long it will take to complete the job. We have to see
every details of allocation of funds to local bodies, determination of various
taxes, infrastructure of urban local bodies and feasibility of public-private
partnership along with actual and estimated debt position of each local body,
Das said.
The second State
Finance Commission, headed by Rajib Bora, took more than two years to submit
its report.
On the
implementation of the recommendations of the commission, Das said the
implementation lies with the government. However, we have sought the status
report from the State Government as far as the implementation of the
suggestions made by the second Finance Commission is concerned, he said. The
Commission took views of economists and political parties today, and tomorrow
it will hold deliberations with heads of local
bodies.
