The state government is set to come up with a Centre for Fiscal Policy and Public Finance under the state finance department.

The centre will implement Asian Development Bank (ADB) supported West Bengal Public Finance Reforms Programme.

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A notification in this regard has been issued by the state finance department.

The main purpose of the centre is to undertake research and studies for better resource mobilisation, public expenditure rationalisation and enhancement of efficiency in public expenditure management, debt sustainability analysis, debt management and related topics.

“The centre will also study and capture, document and disseminate global and national best practices relating to good governance in various sectors of the national and state economy including social sector development. It will provide customised and focused training to government officials on macro-fiscal policies· and public policy including public financial management,” read the notification.

To begin with, the department has created 11 posts for the proposed centre. The posts are namely director (1 post) in the rank of secretary to the Bengal government, additional director (1 post) in the rank of additional secretary/joint secretary to the state government to be filled up by transfer from West Bengal Revenue Service/ West Bengal Audit & Accounts Service, joint director (1 post) in the rank of deputy secretary to the state government, deputy director (1 post) in the rank of assistant secretary to the state government , data entry operators (2 posts) to be filled up on contractual basis, Group D staff (1 post) to be filled up on contract basis from retired employees, interns (2 posts) to be filled up on contractual basis (minimum qualification MA /MSc in economics) and research associates (2 posts) to be engaged on contractual basis (minimum qualification MPhil/PhD. in economics).