Baghel seeks damages for revenue loss due to GST

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday called upon the Centre to come out with a permanent arrangement to compensate for the revenue loss of the states due to the GST tax system.

Participating in the eighth meeting of the Governing Council of Niti Aayog held in Delhi under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Baghel said that the states have suffered a loss of revenue due to the GST tax system.

He said that the states’ share in the Central taxes has declined and added that a permanent arrangement should be made at the earliest to compensate for the revenue loss of producing states like Chhattisgarh.

The CM demanded that an amount of `2,659 crore be made available to the state in the current financial year.

He said that the Central government should respect the rights of the states and strengthen the system of transferring its share of resources as well.

Mr Baghel said that there should be an integral MIS system for all programmes for the care of women and children.

He urged the Union government to increase the share of the Centre-state funding to 75:25 under centrally sponsored schemes.

The CM highlighted the problems facing the MSMEs in Chhattisgarh and said that provision of adequate raw materials such as iron ore and coal should be made to the industries in the state to ensure fast industrialisation.

The Congress party chief minister said that in order to promote industrialisation of the tribal region of Bastar in Chhattisgarh, MoUs have been signed for capital investment of about `9,000 crore.