The Chairman and members of the 16th Finance Commission, led by former NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya, will arrive in Kerala on Sunday for a three-day visit, according to the office of Finance Minister K N Balagopal. The visit is part of the Commission's state-level study tours for preparing the 16th Finance Commission report, a release issued by the finance minister's office on Saturday said.
The team is scheduled to arrive in Kochi on Sunday afternoon, where they will be received by Balagopal, Chief Secretary Saradha Muraleedharan, and other officials. Following their arrival, the team will proceed to Kumarakom in Kottayam district, it added.
On Monday morning, the Commission will visit Thiruvarpu and Aymanam panchayat areas in Kottayam, and by evening, they will arrive at Kovalam, the release said. On Tuesday at 9.30 am, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will officially receive the Commission's chairman and members at the meeting hall of the Leela Hotel in Kovalam, with Finance Minister Balagopal delivering a welcome address.
Following this, the Commission will engage in discussions with cabinet members, the release added. From 11.30 am, the team will hold talks with K N Harilal, Chairman of the State Finance Commission, representatives of the Grama, Block, and District Panchayat associations, the Chamber of Municipal Chairmen, and the Mayors' Council, the release said.
Afternoon discussions will include representatives of traders and industrialists at 12.45 pm, followed by political party representatives at 1.45 pm, the release added. Balagopal stated that the state government has made thorough preparations to present Kerala's demands strongly before the Finance Commission and secure its rightful financial allocations. "The Commission's report and its decisions on fund allocation to states hold significant importance," he said.
The Finance Commission determines the constitutional financial support that states receive from the Central Government for a five-year period. Kerala will benefit from the Commission's recommended financial allocations starting April 1, 2026, the release said.
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