The Finance Commission (FC) should become a policy formulating body to ensure proper devolution to states, according to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao.
Speaking at a review meeting with officials ahead of the visit of the 15th Finance Commission to the state, Rao said the commission generally visits the states with “preconceived” notions.
In view of rapid changes in the Indian economy, the functioning of the FC should not be a routine affair, he added.
Though there have been different governments at the national and state level since Independence with different political parties, there has not been a qualitative change in Centre-state financial relations and, hence, it is time to introspect, the Chief Minister observed.
"The broad fiscal policy lies with the Government of India. Whatever they are supposed to devolve, they have instead centralised," Rao said.
BUDGET
While asking officials to prepare for a new Budget, theChief Minister said the state budget should be formulated only after defining “livelihood” as applicable to conditions in the state.
While touching upon different aspects of the proposed budget, Rao said the money the government had spent during the past four years and next five years should be factored in.
Describing Hyderabad as a global city, he said it needed a minimum of 100 urban parks and a master plan should be prepared.