Kerala to host Fiscal Conclave on September 12

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government will host a Fiscal Conclave of states in Thiruvananthapuram on September 12, to develop a cohesive approach on Centre-State relations and tax devolution,

Kerala Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal announced on Thursday that participants at the Conclave will deliberate on data and models that could be instrumental in persuading the 16th Finance Commission about the disparities encountered by high-performing states such as Kerala.

The 16th Finance Commission, led by Aravind Panagariya, is anticipated to visit Kerala in December. Consequently, the upcoming conclave is viewed as a preparatory step to finalize the arguments to be presented to the members of the Finance Commission. "The Commission will devise a tax devolution formula after examining the memoranda submitted by the states, taking into account the overall fiscal situation of the country," stated Balagopal.

The Conclave, to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, will be attended by the finance ministers of Tamil Nadu, Punjab, and Telangana. Karnataka will be represented by its Revenue Minister, Krishna Byre Gowda. The finance secretaries of all these states will also participate in the conclave. Balagopal stated that the conclave would primarily focus on two issues: center-state relations and fiscal devolution to states.