ITANAGAR, April 7 - Arunachal Pradesh Government on Friday presented a detailed report on the status of finances of the State to the 15th Finance Commission (FC), a 13-member team, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of the State in sectors like tourism, infrastructure, health and education.
The 15th Finance Commission, which has embarked on States� visit starting with the easternmost State of Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday, held a four-hour-long meeting with the State Government headed by Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday.
The State Government has requested the Commission to give weightage on population, infrastructure deficit, social backwardness, and border region requirements, etc., said the Commission�s acting chairman Shaktikanta Das, who is leading the FC team, during a press conference here on Friday.
He said the State Government made a detailed presentation about the overall financial situation of the State. �We found that the State has several challenges and at the same time, it has lot of opportunities to invest more. I think there is lot of potential in tourism, hydropower generation sector, agri-horti sector, food processing, etc.�
The State Government has projected various requirements in road, power, healthcare sectors, particularly border areas where there are border related challenges and also insurgency activities.
The State Government also gave its recommendation in regard to the formula for sharing the Central taxes.
The Acting Chairman informed that the FC will mainly recommend on the tax devolution to the States, on the grants in aid to the urban local bodies and other grants, if any. He also said that the FC would be having much wider consultations with the stakeholders.
