The State’s share in the Central tax for the last five years will amount to Rs68,119.26 crore, a short of Rs1196.84 crore from the amount recommended by the 13th Finance Commission, after receipt of the last installment of Rs610.62 crore for March 2015. The 13th Fin Commission had recommendation of Rs69316.10 cr as Odisha’s share in Central Tax for the period from 2010-11 to 2014-15.
Finance Minister Pradeep Kumar Amat informed this in the State Assembly in a written reply to a question put by Member Aswini Kumar Patra. Amat said the Centre provides the State’s share in the Central tax in 14 installments in a year, which includes one installment in each month from February to April and three installments in March. The Centre had made a total provision of Rs18580.59 crore as Odisha’s share in Central tax in the first phase of current fiscal as per Vote on Account. Accordingly, it disbursed Rs1,327.19 crore each month from April to July 2014 to the State.
However, the Central Government in its Annual Budget downed the Odisha share in Central Tax to Rs18,317.10 crore. Accordingly, the Centre disbused Rs1,300.84 crore each month from August 2014 to January 2015. But in February, the State received only Rs618.04 crore, which is less that the amount received in January, creating an apprehension of a further decline in the State’s share in the Central Tax.
The Ministry of Finance was communicated about it in response to which the Centre released a second installment of Rs618.04 crore in February. The State received a total of Rs1,236.08 crore in February. Amat further informed that the Centre had again decreased the Odisha’s share in the Central Tax to rs 16181.21 crore, which is Rs2,399.38 crore less than the amount fixed as per the Vote on Account and Rs2,135.89 crore less than the amount fixed in the Annual Budget.
By February-end, the State has received a total amount of Rs14,349.87 crore and the rest amount of Rs1,831.34 crore was to be released in three installments in March. Of this, the State has received Rs1,220.92 crore in two installments and the balance amount of Rs610.12 crore was yet to be received, Amat said.