State to propose Rs 24,000 Cr to 13th Finance Com, Imphal spruced up to welcome visiting team

A street lamp post with fresh coating for the visit

IMPHAL, Jan 18 : With the 13th Finance Commission team headed by its Chairman former Union Finance Secretary Vijay Kelkar set to arrive at Imphal on a three day visit to finalise the State’s share on January 21, sprucing up activities of Imphal city has begun in right earnest. On the other hand, the State Government has proposed a Rs 24,000 crore package to be submitted the 13th Finance Commission.To receive the 14 member team of the 13th Finance Commission, the black topping of the road in front of Raj Bhavan, Secretariat road, Tiddim road etc is on in full swing. Street lamp posts are also being given a new look with fresh coatings of paint and repairing works have also been taken up at Hotel Imphal, where the team will stay, said an official source while speaking to The Sangai Express today.Chief Minister O Ibobi is set to review the sprucing up work being taken up in Imphal tomorrow, said the source and added that the 13th Finance Commission team will also consists of economists. The State Finance Department has already finalised the memorandum to be submitted to the Finance Commission team. However since the Principal Secretary (Finance), AN Jha is presently indisposed a senior IAS officer may be entrusted with the task of presenting the memorandum during a meeting scheduled for tomorrow. During their stay here the Commission team will meet the Governor, Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers as well as Government officials. They will also meet representatives of social organisations. The State Government may propose a package of Rs 24,000 crores to meet non-Plan expenditure in the next five years, said the source and added that this include Rs 6000 crore to enable the State Government to implement the 6th Pay Commission. On the other hand, the Committee of Officers has worked out that to implement the 6th Pay Commi- ssion the State will need an additional amount of Rs 700 crores and the report has been submitted to the Finance Department. Meanwhile JAC for AMTUC and AMGEO will submit a memorandum to the 13th Finance Commission team. The memorandum will demand granting of sufficient amount to meet the inadequacies faced by employees, labourers and pensioners of the State. Continuing its ongoing strike, the JAC will also stage sit-in-groups in various locations upto January 31.