FM apprises Amarinder of GST crisis

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 2

Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal on Monday apprised Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh of the current state of finances in the wake of the non-release of the GST dues by the Centre.

Manpreet is learnt to have told the CM that he, along with the FMs of 10 other states, would meet Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and urge her to release the state’s GST dues worth Rs 4,100 crore at the earliest.

“The CM has authorised me to take up the state’s case with the Centre and how it is hitting our budgeting,” Manpreet later told The Tribune.

An assessment of each department’s performance in tax collection (state’s own tax collection) was also discussed. Officials said the the issue of slow excise collections (44% of the total excise revenue ofRs 6,201 crore for this fiscal); the stamp duty collections (52% of the target of Rs 2,650 crore for this fiscal), sales tax (49% of the target of Rs 6,353 crore) were discussed.

The non-tax revenue collection till October is just Rs 1,576.23 crore, as against a target of Rs 9,476.98 crore. All departments were instructed to mop up revenue and also come up with the plans of assured collection.