Finance Commission chairman N.K. Singh on Monday questioned the relevance of the high number of centrally sponsored schemes, and gave indications that many of them could be done away with.

“Does anyone know how many centrally sponsored schemes are running? Why are they running? Are benefits reaching the ground level? You will be surprised to know the numbers of central schemes. However, it remains to be seen whether all these schemes are required, are they serving their purpose, and also if the money allotted is necessary. The Shivraj Singh Chouhan Committee had rationalised the schemes but it did not have much impact... It is a huge responsibility bestowed upon us (the commission) to evaluate these schemes,” Singh said while addressing a national seminar, “Addressing the problems of Inter-State and Inter-district disparity of India”, at a city hotel.

The event was jointly organised by the Fifteenth Finance Commission and the Asian Development Research Institute.

Singh, a former Bihar cadre IAS officer who had served in key positions in government, including as revenue secretary, said the commission would “sympathetically” consider the issue of regional inequality in the eastern region and the demand for increased share of central funds to Bihar.

“There is no question of looking into Bihar’s case unsympathetically (on more share of central funds)... I would assure you that the commission would sympathetically consider regional inequality and eastern India inequality...,” Singh said.

The Finance Commission chief, however, did not comment on the call for according special category status to Bihar, raised by Bihar Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary.

Referring to statements of Chaudhary and Jharkhand minister Saryu Roy in which they were critical of the functioning of the Niti Aayog, Singh said: “It would be completely inappropriate for the Finance Commission to comment on Niti Aayog. Commenting on Niti Aayog is beyond its domain.”

Singh also hinted that the Commission would look into the aspect of funds to be allotted to panchayats and local bodies. “There is a list sent by the President of India on issues related to finance which is quite long. We will have to address those issues,” he said.