Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel (left) sits with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during the 8th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog, in New Delhi on Saturday. (Image: PTI)
Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel also asked the central government to transfer Rs 4,170 crore of additional levy received from minerals to the state.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday urged the Center to come up with a “permanent arrangement” to compensate states for revenue loss due to the GST regime and sought refund of Rs 19,000 crore deposited in the new pension scheme. Regarding the demands during the eighth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
During the meeting, Baghel also asked the central government to transfer Rs 4,170 crore of additional levy received from minerals to Chhattisgarh. The senior Congress leader said a civil suit has been filed in the Supreme Court by the Chhattisgarh government in this matter, and requested the Center to respond quickly and resolve the issue, according to a statement issued by the state government.
Besides this, the CM demanded revision of royalty rates of coal and other major minerals from his state. He said that non-amendment is adversely affecting the financial interests of the state and urged the government to bear the security expenditure of Rs 11,828 crore on deployment of central forces and free the state from such cost. He also raised the issue of refund of Rs 19,000 crore deposited in the New Pension Scheme during the meeting.
Baghel had announced during the budget session of the Chhattisgarh assembly last year that his government would restore the old pension scheme (OPS). Later, his government wrote to the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority, seeking refund of money deposited as government and employee contributions to the NPS since November 2004.
During the NITI Aayog meeting, Baghel also demanded compensation for the loss caused to the states by the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system. “A permanent arrangement should be made at the earliest to compensate for the revenue loss,” he was quoted as saying during the meeting.
The state’s share in central taxes is coming down, Baghel argued, adding that an amount of Rs 2,659 crore should be made available to the state in this financial year. On the agenda of the meeting, he said that states have an important role in maintaining the unity and integrity of the country.
He said that the central government should respect the rights of the states and also strengthen the system of transfer of its share of resources. Emphasizing on MSMEs, the Chief Minister said that the Rural and Cottage Industrial Policy 2023-24 has been announced with the aim of promoting entrepreneurship in the rural areas of the state and using the resources of the region at the local level.
Baghel said that only 25-30 per cent iron ore is being made available by the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) to the units located in the state. He urged the Center to make available enough iron ore for the units in the state.
He said that the MSME industries of Chhattisgarh are not getting coal from South Eastern Coalfields Limited as per the requirement of the state for the last two-three years and requested the Center to take action on the matter in the interest of the state.
During the meeting, Baghel highlighted that in order to promote industrialization in the tribal region of Bastar, capital investment agreements worth Rs 9,000 crore have been signed in the last four years. He informed that three million tonnes of iron ore would be required annually for the steel industries.
Baghel requested that according to the production capacity of these steel plants, iron ore should be kept in reserve and made available on priority basis. Along with this, 30 percent discount should also be given in the rate of iron ore under special incentive by NMDC.
He also suggested implementing MGNREGA in cities with a population of less than 20,000. It has been said in the statement that he called for the early start of international air service from Raipur airport and to appoint a nodal officer for coordination.
During the meeting, Baghel sought setting up of solar power plants in 10 aspirational districts of Chhattisgarh as well as solar power plants up to 5 MW as ‘green’ activities and exemption from forest diversion under the Forest Conservation Act. demanded.
The Chief Minister said that there should be an integrated MIS system for all programs for the care of women and children. Besides this, he also called for increasing the share of Centre-State funding to 75:25 under centrally sponsored schemes.
The Eighth Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog was held with the objective of making India a developed nation by 2047.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI,