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KOHIMA — The Sixteenth Finance Commission, led by its Chairman Dr. Arvind Panagariya, arrived in Nagaland on Monday for a four-day visit to the state.
The chairman is accompanied by his wife, Amita Panagariya, Members of the Commission Ajay Narayan Jha, Annie George Mathew, Dr. Manoj Panda, Secretary Ritvik Pandey, and other officials.
Upon arrival at the Dimapur Airport, the delegation was welcomed by Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton, other state leaders, and senior government officials. Before heading to the state capital, Kohima, the delegation also visited the Heirloom Naga Centre at Sovima in Chümoukedima.
Patton, who welcomed the delegation at the Dimapur airport along with Advisors H Tovihoto Ayemi and Kazheto Kinimi, stated that their visit marked an important opportunity for meaningful discussions about the state and expressed his hope for constructive exchanges.
On the second day, the delegation will hold a meeting in Kohima with the chief minister, cabinet ministers, and senior government officials. They will also meet with representatives from rural local bodies, urban local bodies, trade, industries and commerce, and political parties.
The state government is expected to propose nearly INR 1 lakh crore to the 16th Finance Commission for various grants and funds for the next five years. This includes revenue deficit grants, rural and urban local bodies, disaster relief funds, and capital grants, among others.
On October 6, the delegation is scheduled to visit Kepamodzu/Kapamodzu in Zhavame Village under Phek district to meet with the women entrepreneurs and learn about their work on experiential tourism.
The delegation will leave for Imphal on November 7.
Constituted on December 31, 2023, the Sixteenth Finance Commission (FC-XVI) is led by Chairman Dr. Arvind Panagariya and four other members.
The Finance Commission of India is appointed by the President of India and is mandated to recommend how the Union’s tax revenues should be shared among the central and state governments and what grants should be given to states and for rural and urban local bodies. It also recommends the allocation of financial resources to the national and state disaster relief funds.
The Sixteenth Finance Commission is expected to make its report available by October 31, 2025, covering five years commencing on the first day of April 2026.