Amid a deadlock over the payment of pending GST, Chhattisgarh Commercial Tax (GST) Minister T.S. Singh Deo on Monday interacted with Finance Ministers of five states and discussed a strategy to pressurize the union government to pay up.
Singh Deo later tweeted: “Just concluded a meeting with FMs of Punjab, Delhi, Kerala, Telangana and West Bengal. All states unanimously agreed to reject both proposals of Central Govt (GST Cess shortfall) and it was decided that the Center shouldn't delegate its constitutional obligation to states.”
He added: "It was agreed among the states that Center should make good the shortfall and most importantly should only move through consensus in the GST Council instead of trying to push through its agenda in a majoritarian manner."
Taking a dig over Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s ‘act of God' remark, Singh Deo tweeted: "The shortfall is not an 'Act of God' as the Central Government is suggesting. There is a 38-40 percent shortfall annually in Chhattisgarh."
On Monday, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also wrote to Sitharaman saying Chhattisgarh has not got Rs 2,828 crores even after four months of fiscal 2020-21. He wanted this paid without any further delay.
He also said that the Centre should itself take a loan from the RBI instead of asking the states to do so.