Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Saturday attacked the Central Government for not returning the State's share in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) collected during the first quarter of the financial year at the time when the State Government is facing several financial and economic crises.
Addressing a press meet at the party headquarter, JMM General Secretary and Spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said that on May, 12 Prime Minister announced that the Central Government will provide Rs 20 Lakh relief package for the citizens of India during the time of crisis created by COVID 19. The relief package converted in Rs 21 lakh after five days of announcement of the Prime Minister but the people of the State want to know that when they distributed Rs 21 lakh crore then why not the Government is returning the State's share in Goods and Services Tax (GST) which is only Rs 2100 crore, he added.
"The Finance Minister announced Rs 40 thousand crore for MGNREGA on May 17 since then we are demanding an increase in wages for the MGNREGA workers but the Government is not listening to our voice. She removed many essential things like potatoes, onion and others from the list of Essential Commodity Act and due to illegal hoarding of these things prices of these items are increasing rapidly during the time of crisis", said Bhattacharya.
Replying to the question that Chief Minister, Hemant Soren wrote a letter to the Prime Minister to get the State's share in GST, the party General Secretary said in the federal structure of the system one can only request to the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister for their own share.
Bhattacharya also said that the Government should also clear how many people got unconditional loan which it announced in a Rs 20 Lakh relief package. He also criticised the Government for the poor management of the crisis caused by COVID 19 and said that the GDP dropped 24 per cent and around 14 crore people lost their jobs.