CM seeks release of C’garh’s share of taxes

Listing suggestions on Chhattisgarh’s expectations from the Union budget on Thursday, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel sought the release of GST compensation, release of Rs 4,140 crores with the Centre on coal mining and reimbursement of Rs 15,000 crores spent on central security forces deployed against Naxalites in the state.

He was participating in a pre-budget meeting chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi.

He said the Covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected the economy of the states. He suggested extension of GST compensation period for five more years even after June 2022.

With states facing drastic revenue loss due to GST and lack of timely compensation, the loss of revenue is estimated at about Rs 5,000 crores to Chhattisgarh in the coming year.

Chhattisgarh has received less share of central taxes by Rs 13,089 crores in the Union Budget of the last three years. Complete central taxes should be given in the next budget.

He raised the issue of transfer of Rs 4,140 crores deposited with the Central government on coal mining due to the state.

Apart from it, a special provision must be made in the next budget to reimburse the state’s expenditure of Rs 15,000 crores on central security forces deployed in the state against Maoists.

Instead of reducing central excise tax on petrol and diesel, which will lead to reduction in the state’s share, cess should be cut, he said.

He also sought to increase the premium limit of Rs 1,100 per family for states doing better implementation of Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.

Similarly, the share of states in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission be reduced and the Centre’s share be hiked to 75 per cent.

The Chief Minister urged the Finance Minister to set a target of taking at least 23 lakh tonnes of parboiled (Usna) rice from the state, up from 61.65 lakh tonnes of ‘Arva’ rice to the central pool.

He also raised the issue of shortage of gunny sacks for government procurement of paddy at minimum support price. He sought permission for producing ethanol from the surplus paddy available in Chhattisgarh.