29,290 cr Goods and Services Tax dues pending from central government

Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari, on Monday, said that despite the central government’s delay in clearing the long-pending Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation dues and the financial crunch arisen because of COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown and economic downturn, the state government has provided priority funding to the Departments of Public Health, Medical Education and Drugs, Relief and Rehabilitation, Food and Civil Supplies and Home during the pandemic. To stimulate the economy, the state government has provided for 75 per cent of the budgetary provision for capital expenditure and released 100 per cent money to the Local Development Fund, district planning committee schemes and Dongri Vikas Karyakram (hilly region development). The governor, at the joint session of the state legislature, said by the end of February 2021, the central government owes dues worth Rs 46,950 crore towards GST. “The central government has paid just Rs 6,140 crore and Rs 11,520 crore as loan for the (GST) compensation. GST compensation to the tune of Rs 29,290 crore is overdue from the central government,” he noted. The governor’s statement comes a day after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre for clearing the GST compensation arrears. -