Finance Commission to Andaman & Nicobar Islands to visit archipelago on Feb 9

Port Blair, Feb 7 (PTI) The 5th Finance Commission to the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands led by its chairman Anil Kumar Jha will be arriving on a five-day visit to the archipelago on February 9, an official said on Friday.

“The chairman will hold a meeting with Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and he will visit departmental sites at the Swaraj Dweep (Havelock Island) on February 10,” the official said.

On February 11, the commission will visit Shaheed Dweep (Neil Island) to hold meetings with members of PRIs and on February 13 it will hold meeting with the chairperson of Port Blair Municipal Corporation (PBMC), secretary (PBMC), secretary (Urban Development), and local councillors.

The commission will also hold a meeting with chief secretary Chandra Bhushan Kumar and senior bureaucrats at the secretariat.

The commission will review the financial position of the panchayats and municipalities and make recommendations on taxes, duties, tolls and fees which may be assigned to or appropriated by the panchayats and municipalities of the union territory.

It may also look into (if felt necessary) grants-in-aid to panchayats and municipalities from the consolidated fund of the central government.

The commission will also discuss long-term prospective plans and developmental goals of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and investments required to achieve the goals.