PANJIM: The 15th Finance Commission has recommended that Goa receive Rs 16,307 crore over the next five years ending 2025-26, as part of the State’s share in Central taxes and duties. The State share is calculated at 0.38 per cent formula.
The total amount recommended for transfer from Central exchequers is Rs 17,868 crore including Rs 1,561 crore in form of grant-in-aid for the years from 2021 to 26.
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“Central transfers as percentage of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) increased in all States except Goa from 2011-12 to 2018-19,” said the Finance Commission report 2021-26, tabled in Parliament.
As per the Commission, confirmed grant of Rs 609 crore to local bodies and Rs 63 crore towards disaster management, are recommended, apart from other sectors – Health (Rs 56 cr), Agriculture (Rs 63cr), Higher Education (Rs 50 cr), Judiciary (Rs 15 cr) and Statistics (Rs 5 cr) – which the Union Government has said that would be given due consideration.
As requested by the State Government, the Commission has recommended Rs 700 crore, of which Rs 500 crore towards climate changetttttttt and Rs 200 crore for tourism development, to State specific funds.
The Commission has also projected GST compensation to the tune of Rs 3,932 crore to the State from 2020-21 to 2025-26.
“The Commission has recommended providing grants to State governments in eight different sectors namely, health, school education, higher education, agriculture, roads, judiciary, statistics,” the report mentioned.
“Government will give due consideration to sectors identified by the Commission while formulating and implementing existing and new centrally-sponsored Central Sector schemes,” it added.
The Commission noted the State’s low dependency on central transfers. In 2018–19, the Central transfers constituted less than 33 per cent of Goa’s Total Rate of Return (TRR) (GS average 44 per cent).
“The State achieved highest non-tax revenue to GSDP ratio amongst all States consistently from 2011–12 to 2016–17. This indicates greater reliance on State’s own resources, a trend that the State should continue to sustain,” the Commission said.
The Commission noted that Goa has been able to achieve highest per capita GSDP across all States consistently from 2011–12 to 2018–19 and recommends that State should continue to implement policies which sustain this trend.
The State is a front-runner on certain sustainable development goals – SDG–2 Zero Hunger, SDG–8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG–11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG–15 Life on Land, and SDG–16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. The State should continue to implement policy action that leads to such enhanced social outcomes.
