NEW DELHI: Artha Global Executive Director Niranjan Rajadhyaksha has expressed his inability to join as a member of the 16th Finance Commission due to personal reasons, the Finance Ministry said on Monday.

The government had on January 31, appointed four members of the 16th Finance Commission chaired by Arvind Panagariya.

Apart from Rajadhyaksha, former expenditure secretary Ajay Narayan Jha and retired bureaucrat Annie George Mathew were appointed as full-time members of the commission. SBI Group Chief Economic Advisor Soumya Kanti Ghosh was named a part-time member.

“Dr. Rajadhyaksha has expressed his inability to take up this responsibility due to unforeseen personal circumstances. Action will be taken to appoint a Member of the 16th Commission in lieu of Dr. Rajadhyaksha,” a statement said.

Officials said Rajadhyaksha did not attend the first meeting of the 16th Finance Commission which was held on February 14. The 16th Finance Commission was constituted under the chairmanship of Panagariya on December 31, 2023.