New Delhi: The Centre has clarified that since the 14th Finance Commission did not discriminate among the special category status (SCS) states and the general category states, Andhra Pradesh was accorded special financial package in lieu of SCS.
This was informed by union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai in a reply to YSR Congress Party member V. Vijay Sai Reddy in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Consequent on the Finance Commission’s recommendations that the Centre should share the revenue with the states, the share of states was increased from 32 per cent to 42 per cent during the 2015-20 period, he stated.
He also revealed that the 15th Finance Commission did not make any significant changes for the 2020-26 period and with Jammu and Kashmir emerging as a new state, the quota was marginally reduced from 42 per cent to 41 per cent. The aim was to ensure the revenue deficit faced by the respective states in their share was filled, he added.