HP seeks compensation for low carbon emission
Himachal Pradesh has sought compensation on the analogy of the Kyoto Protocol, which provides for compensation to low carbon emission countries in comparison to the nations with high carbon emissions.
Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani made the demand for compensating the hill state for its low carbon emissions at the 55th meeting of the GST Council held under the chairmanship of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan yesterday.
Dharmani argued in favour of factoring in low population density while calculating this compensation. He also took up the issue of Rs 200 crore demand notices issued by the CGST authorities to toll lessees in Himachal Pradesh and sought their annulment.
He urged the Finance Minister to provide at least 50 per cent Central share for the acquisition of land for the expansion of the Gaggal airport in Kangra and ongoing railway projects such as the Bhanupalli-Bilaspur and Chandigarh-Baddi railway projects. He advocated setting up of satellite towns and increasing custom duty on the import of apple from 50 per cent to 100 per cent to protect the interest of growers.
In the pre-Budget meeting, the minister also advocated for continuing the Special Central Assistance (SCA) and enhancing the Revenue Deficit Grants and the Central Road Infrastructural Fund (CRIF), which had been reduced from Rs 11,140 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 3,256 crore in 2025-26.
