The 15^th Finance Commission headed by Chairman, Shri N.K. Singh alongwith its Members and senior officials met today with the representatives of the Rural Local Bodies of Goa.

The Commission was informed that:

•        First State Finance Commission was constituted in 1999 and Government of Goa had accepted its recommendations in November, 2001.
•      Second State Finance Commission submitted its report in December, 2007, but Government had not accepted the recommendations of the Second State Finance Commission. 
•      Third State Finance Commission was constituted in January, 2017 (10 years after submission of report of the Second Finance Commission) and has not submitted the report after completion of three years.

          The main Recommendations of 14^th Finance Commission were:

•    Grants recommended by 14^th Finance Commission to Rural Local Body Rs. 134 crore (Rs. 120 crore Basic Grant and Rs. 14 crore Performance Grant).  Out of Rs. 120 crore (Basic Grant), Goa has received only Rs. 50 crore by the end of 31^st March, 2019. (42% of the grant recommended by 14^th Finance Commission).

•    Out of Rs. 14 crore Performance Grant, Goa has received only Rs. 2.62 crore in 2016-17 (First year of performance Grant). (20% of the grant recommended by 14^th Finance Commission).

The 15^th Finance Commission desired to know the reason(s) for not accepting the recommendations of 2^nd SFC.  It also sought information as to why submission of report of Third State Finance Commission was awaited even after three years of its constitution. In view of the fact that in 2016-17 & 2017-18, 191 Village Panchayats had generated Rs. 24 crore and Rs. 25 crore respectively as Tax Revenue, the Commission has asked for the status of Accounts of Panchayati Raj Institutions.

          Representatives of RLBs of Goa included -  Smt. AnkitaNavelkar, North Goa ZP President,  Shri NavnathNaik, South Goa ZP President , Shri Mohan Verekar, ZP Member Ponda, Smt. Suvarna Tendulkar, ZP Member Sanvordem, Shri RupeshNaik, ZP Member Saligao, Shri ArunBankar, ZP Member Mandrem, Shri PramodFaldassai, Canacona-AgondaSarpanch, Smt. SnehaLathaNaik, Sanvordem-MollemSarpanch, Smt. PrashilaGaude, SankhiliPapiSarpanch, Shri Arjun Naik, Sanguem Village Panchayat Uguem and Shri AlluluiAfonso, AvedeCotmi, Quepem.

The Commission has noted all the issues raised by the representatives and has assured to address them in the recommendations to the Union Government.

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MC

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