16th Finance Commission team coming on Wednesday for 3-day state visit 

Amidst massive preparations over the visit of the 16th Finance Commission from January 29 to January 31, Tripura government has taken massive preparations for the visit.

A the high-level delegation of the 16th Finance Commission led by Chairman Dr. Arvind Panagariya and members Ajay Narayan Jha, Annie George Mathew, Manoj Panda, Soumya Kanti Ghosh and Secretary Ritwik Pandey will be in Tripura for a three-day visit from Wednesday (January 29 to 31) and 12-members the team will leave the state on February 1 after attending more than a dozen meetings with various stakeholders.

Official sources said that the 16th Finance Commission headed by Chairman Arvind Panagariya would hold a series of meetings simultaneously with the Tripura government and various stakeholders such as political parties, rural and urban local bodies, and representatives of trade, Industries, and Commerce here during its three-day visit to the state from Wednesday.

A senior Tripura government official said that the Commission would hold the all-important meeting with Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, his Cabinet members, Chief Secretary JK  Sinha, and Secretaries of various departments on Thursday (January 30).

On the same day, the Commission would hold meetings with Panchayat Raj institutions, urban local bodies, representatives of the Tripura Tribal Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), leaders of various political parties, and representatives of trade, commerce, and industry bodies.

The Finance Commission Chairman, four of its members, and other accompanying officials would also visit various tourist places of Gomati, Sepahijala, and West Tripura districts.

The 16th Finance Commission was constituted on December 31, 2023, with Panagariya, former NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman, as its Chairman.

The four full-time members include Ajay Narayan Jha, former member, the 15th Finance Commission, and former Secretary, Expenditure, Annie George Mathew, former Special Secretary, Expenditure, Manoj Panda, former director at the Institute of Economic Growth and Soumya Kanti Ghosh, Group Chief Economic Advisor, State Bank of India.

The 16th Finance Commission headed by its Chairman already visited various northeastern states and held meetings with the state governments, various stakeholders, and leaders of political parties.

According to officials, the 16th Finance Commission's recommendations would be available by October 31, 2025, covering an award period of five years starting from April 1, 2026.