Second edition of conclave today

The second edition of the Finance Ministers’ conclave will be organised at the Secretariat on Monday.

The Finance Ministers from 11 States are expected to take part in the discussions on the concerns surrounding the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the 15th Finance Commission.

The first meeting, which was called ‘South India Finance Ministers’ meeting’, saw the presence of only three southern States and one Union Territory. The meeting, which was aimed at hosting the representatives from across southern India, failed to draw the Finance Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

Subsequently, the horizons of the second round of the conclave were being widened to pave the way for the participation of other States such as Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab, and Delhi.

Tamil Nadu and Telangana, which skipped the first meeting at Thiruvananthapuram, are expected to take part in this meeting.

Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said A.P. had come forward to host the meeting as a follow-up to the first one, wherein a few States met to discuss the concerns.

The meeting will start at 10 a.m with the welcome address by Chief Secretary Dinesh Kumar. Mr. Ramakrishnudu will deliver the presidential address and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will give the inaugural address. The Finance Ministers will make their opening remarks. A draft memorandum prepared by Kerala will be presented for discussion. The conclave will finalise the memorandum to be submitted to the President.