Lieutenant General Rana Pratap Kalita Appointed as Chairman of Assam State Finance Commission

The Assam government has appointed Lieutenant General Rana Pratap Kalita (retd) as the Chairman of the Seventh Assam State Finance Commission. Six other members have also been appointed to the Commission.

Commission Members

The members of the Commission include:

• The senior most Secretary of Finance Department
• The senior most Secretary of Panchayat and Rural Development Department
• The senior most Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs
• Debeswar Malakar, IAS (Retd.)
• Professor Mrinal Kanti Dutta, Economist, IIT-G
• The Special Secretary to the Finance Department

Commission’s Responsibilities

The Commission will make recommendations on:

• The principles governing the distribution of taxes and duties between the State of Assam and local bodies like Panchayats and Municipalities
• Measures to improve the financial position of Panchayats and Municipalities
• Any other matters referred by the Governor in the interest of local bodies’ financial health

The Commission will also assess the resources of Local Governments and make recommendations on devolution and grant-in-aid for the Local Bodies of the three Autonomous Councils under the Sixth Schedule.

Report Submission

The Commission is required to submit its report to the Governor of Assam by December 16, 2024, covering a five-year period starting April 1, 2025.