At pre-Budget meet, states press for special packages

New Delhi, November 25

State Finance Ministers in their pre-Budget consultations with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday sought special packages, more funds, greater say in implementing centrally sponsored schemes and an increase in payments for royalty on minerals.

Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur sought better road, rail, air connectivity to promote tourism and reduction of GST on apple packaging from 18 per cent to 12 per cent while Haryana CM ML Khattar sought a special economic package as “14 districts of the state fall in the National Capital Region and a lot of resources have to be spent on the construction and maintenance of infrastructure in these areas”.

Non-BJP CMs were more strident and vocal about their demands. Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel asked the Centre to return the Rs 17,240 crore deposited by the state under the new pension scheme as his government had restored the old pension scheme. TN FM P Thiaga Rajan and Bihar FM Vijay Kumar Choudhary said the centrally sponsored schemes were constraining states’ fiscal autonomy since in some of them, states had contributed more than the Centre’s share. Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma sought more capital assistance and Andhra FM Buggana Rajendranath Reddy also wanted special assistance towards capital expenditure.

Punjab seeks Rs 2,500-cr industrial package

State sought a special industrial package of Rs 2,500 cr for the development of border districts, besides Rs 1,125 cr to provide assistance to the farmers quitting stubble-burning

Chhattisgarh  wants Rs 17K cr under NPS refunded

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel urged the Centre to refund Rs 17,240 crore deposited under the new pension scheme (NPS)