Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari said here on Monday that the Centre owed a sizable sum of Rs 29,290 to the Shiv Sena-led MVA Government as Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation.
Addressing a joint sitting of the Maharashtra Legislature on the first day of the State Legislature, Koshyari said: “By the end of February 2021, out of the Rs 46,950 crore due to my Government as Goods and Services Tax Compensation, the Central Government has paid just Rs 6140 crore and Rs 11,520 crore as loan for Goods and Services Tax compensation. Goods and Services Tax Compensation to the tune of Rs 29,290 crore is overdue from the Centre”.
Lamenting that the State economy had slowed down because of the Covid lockdown, medical emergency and natural calamities, the Governor said: “Of the revenue collection target of Rs 3,47,456 crore, the State has collected just Rs 1,88,542 crore at the end of January 2021. This is 35 per cent less than the budgetary estimate and 21 per cent lower than the collection in the same period in the previous year.
The Governor said that the state government was pursuing with the Government of India for increasing the grant in aid receivable to my State in accordance with the recommendations of the Central Finance Commission.
“Last year was not only a year of medical emergency but also presented several economic challenges. As jobs and livelihoods were affected, my Government undertook massive humanitarian aid programmes,” he said. The Governor said that in view of the pandemic situation and the economic condition, the State government is pursuing with the Centre to increase the latter’s contribution to central schemes
“To stimulate the economy, my government has provided for 75 percent of the budgetary provision for capital expenditure and released 100 percent money to the Local Development Fund, DPC schemes and Dongri Vikas Karyakram,” the Governor noted.
Alluding to the success ‘My Family, My Responsbility’ scheme of the chief minister, Koshyari said that through as an ‘innovative health checkup mission in the country’, the state government had carried out two rounds of surveys, the stage government had reached out to all the families in the state. During the survey, it had examined high-risk persons and senior citizens and detected many Covid-19 cases which helped chart out the state health map. “By participation of citizens in the management of Covid-19 pandemic, our state ensured successful control of this epidemic. But the battle against Covid-19 is still on and now the ‘Me Jababdar’ (My Accountability) mission has been launched,” the Governor said.
Koshyari said that the state government had effectively combated the pandemic by reducing the number of active cases, dealing successfully with problem areas like Dharavi (Mumbai slum), first to set up jumbo (field) corona hospitals, implementing the Mahatma Phule Jeevandayi Yojana to prevent exorbitant charges for treatment.
The government had also augmented testing facilities and regulated testing fees, hiked capacity in public hospitals and reserved beds in private hospitals at affordable rates, for public benefit, he said.
Stressing on the need for “constant Vigil” on safety measures as the Covid-19 dangers have not passed with the imminent possibility of a ‘second wave’, the Governor stressed on physical distancing norms, face-masks, washing hands, etc.
The Governor said that the State was also implementing the Covid-19 vaccination programme and investing in public health infrastructure by approving new medical colleges for Sindhudurg, Nashik and Osmanabad, with plans for more in future. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, his deputy Ajit Pawar, Leaders of Opposition in rthwe Assembly and Council respectively Devendra Fadnavis and Pravin Darekar, ministers and legislators from both the houses were present at the Joint sitting of members from both the Houses of the State Legislature.
