VIJAYAWADA: Representation from Telangana government at the conference of finance ministers, being hosted by the state government on May 7, is unlikely. Though 11 states have expressed interest in participating in the discussion of recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission, the AP finance department officials have not yet received an confirmation from Telangana in this regard.
Though the first meeting organised by the Kerala government got representation of finance ministers and officials only from Southern states excluding Tamil Nadu and Telangana, the upcoming meeting to be held in the Interim Government Complex in Velagapudi is set to witness participation of ministers from non-southern states.
Expressing concern that progressive states, particularly from south, will suffer loss as per the terms of reference given by the Centre to the 15th Finance Commission on sharing of taxes as per the 2011 census data, Kerala government took the initiative first and organised a meeting last month after inviting all the southern states.
Now, the follow-up meeting in Amaravati is expected to have representation of more states.It is learnt that the Andhra Pradesh government already extended invitations to those state governments that are keen on participating in the meeting and also got confirmations from most of them.
An official of the finance department told TNIE that apart from Puducherry Chief Minister, Finance Ministers of Delhi, Punjab, West Bengal, Kerala, and agriculture minister from Karnataka confirmed their participation. “We have also got confirmation from Odisha, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Sikkim,” said an official.
Stating that invitations were sent to those states having similar ideologies on cooperative federalism, the official said that despite extending an invitation to Telangana, they are yet to get a reply from the neighbouring state.