“Finance Ministry Embarrassed PM On Day He…”: P Chidambaram’s GST Dig

New Delhi:

Senior Congress chief P Chidambaram on Thursday took a dig on the Centre over the Rs 78,704 crore it owes to the states in GST compensation, saying it will be attention-grabbing to know why the Finance Ministry “embarrassed” Prime Minister Narendra Modi by placing out the knowledge on the day he selected to “admonish” the states.

The Finance Ministry on Wednesday stated the Centre has already launched eight months of GST compensation dues to the states for the fiscal ended March 2022 and Rs 78,704 crore is pending on account of insufficient steadiness within the cess fund.

On the day the prime minister exhorted states to chop the VAT price on petrol and diesel, the Finance Ministry introduced that the Centre owes Rs 78,704 crore to the states, P Chidambaram stated.

“The quantity owed is definitely extra. In case you add the quantities that the states declare are owed to them, the entire quantity could also be larger. Solely the Controller of Authorities Accounts (CGA) can certify the correct quantity,” the previous finance minister stated on Twitter.

“It is going to be attention-grabbing to know why the MoF embarrassed the PM on the day he selected to admonish the States!” he stated.

Flagging greater gas costs in lots of opposition-ruled states, Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday known as it “injustice” to folks residing there and urged the governments there to cut back VAT in “nationwide curiosity” to learn the widespread man. Modi raised the difficulty of many states not adhering to the Centre’s name for lowering the Worth Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel after his authorities slashed excise duties on them in November final, and requested them to work within the spirit of cooperative federalism on this time of worldwide disaster.