Rumours being circulated to discredit Maha: Uddhav

A day after his pat on the back on the Home Minister Dilip Wasle-Patil for doing a great job while denying that he is upset with the latter’s performance, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday lashed out at the erstwhile ally BJP without naming it for allegedly conspiring to defame Maharashtra.

Thackeray was speaking on the occasion of bhumi pujan ceremony of GST Bhavan building at Wadala on the occasion of Gudi Padwa on Saturday.

"An atmosphere is being created that there are rumors circulating somewhere in the government. But they are not true. We have named this government as Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA),’’ said Thackeray adding that, "MVA is not just in our name, we are implementing it on the ground." Thackeray virtually attended the function. The CM's statement came after he set at rest rumours of a widening rift among MVA colleagues.

"There are some people who want to create bitterness in us, I would like to say that if not for Maharashtra's contribution, the country's economy would be hit significantly," the CM added.

We have named this government as Maha Vikas Aghadi. MVA is not just in our name, we are implementing it on the ground –Uddhav Thackeray

'GST dept is backbone'

Thackeray said the GST department is the backbone of the state adding that Maharashtra, which contributes the most to the country's gross domestic product, is the mainstay of the country's economy. He noted that the GST Bhavan will be completed by 2025.

State tops in GST tax collection: DCM

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who holds finance and planning portfolios, said Maharashtra accounts for 14.70 per cent of the country's total GST collection. "Efforts are being made to strengthen the economy of the state and while promoting industry, trade and business sectors in the state. It seeks to balance taxation and increase tax revenue. The state economy is set to achieve the $1 trillion mark,’’ he added.

The state's share in the country's GDP is 13.9%. The State Tax Department has always played a pivotal role in the development of the state. The share of the sales tax department (now GST) in the total revenue received is around 65%. "In 2017-18, the state's share in the country's GST tax collection was 14.20%, now it has increased to 14.70%. Total GST tax collection of the country till February 2021-22 was Rs 9,95,562 crore which was a rise of 29% over the previous year. During the same period, the GST tax collection of Maharashtra State has increased by 33% and the total tax collection so far has been Rs 2,17,589 crore.