(LiveMint)
North Indian states like Bihar and Chhattisgarh with higher rates of population growth may become relative winners compared to their southern and eastern counterparts under the 15th Finance Commission (FFC), with the government asking the commission to use the latest census data of 2011 for allocation of resources, against 1971 census data used earlier.
The terms of reference (ToR) of the FFC chaired by former revenue secretary N.K. Singh, also a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, were notified by the Narendra Modi government in November. Apart from Singh, members of the commission are former economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das and adjunct professor at Georgetown University Anoop Singh. Former chief economic adviser Ashok Lahiri and NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand are part-time members. The Commission, whose recommendations will be in force for the five years starting 1 April 2020, has been asked to submit its report by 30 October 2019.
