Bengal finance minister: Centre’s GST dues piling up, hurting infra projects

“Three months of GST revenue, that is Rs 2,200 crore, is Bengal’s due. If the Centre will not pay this month’s dues, it will jump to 3,000 crore. I will raise this issue for Bengal at the GST Council,” Amit Mitra said.

Bengal GST dues, GST dues to states, amit mitra, bengal news, indian express

The Finance Minister also criticised Governor Jagdeep Dhankar, claiming that the latter recently told the chamber of commerce the issue had been solved. (File)

Accusing the central government of not paying the Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue worth Rs 2,200 crore to the state for the last three months, West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra Tuesday said he would raise the issue in an upcoming GST Council meeting on December 18.

“Three months of GST revenue, that is Rs 2,200 crore, is Bengal’s due. If the Centre will not pay this month’s dues, it will jump to 3,000 crore. We can easily plan many infrastructure projects if the Centre give us the dues on a regular basis. I will raise this issue for Bengal at the GST Council,” he said while addressing the media at Digha Convention Centre on the eve of a two-day business conclave that will start on Wednesday.

The Finance Minister also criticised Governor Jagdeep Dhankar, claiming that the latter recently told the chamber of commerce that the issue was solved.

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“The Governor recently said in a chamber of commerce meeting that he had a talk with me and solved this issue, which is not true. And how he told that, I have no clue,” he said.

After taking stock of the preparations of the business conclave, he said the government wants to decentralise the summits. “That’s why, this time we have organised the business conclave here in Digha. We want that businesses should reach the districts. So, now on we will organise this type of conclave in every district.”

According to government sources, 1,200 delegates, including 50 from 18 foreign countries, are expected to attend this conclave.

A senior official of Industry Department said this year, the conclave’s focus is coastal tourism, commerce and industry.

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The minister said there are plenty of opportunities in the coastal region. “We are trying to evolve it. The government is expected to sign many Memoranda of Understanding during the conclave. We have already started building the infrastructure.”

The Industry Department official said that a new port in Tajpur is on cards.

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a Special Correspondent of The Indian Express with more than 20 years of experience in reporting from West Bengal, Bihar and the North-East. He has been covering administration and political news for more than ten years and has a keen interest in political development in West Bengal. Atri holds a Master degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University and Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. He is also an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. He started his career with leading vernacular daily the Anandabazar Patrika, and worked there for more than fifteen years. He worked as Bihar correspondent for more than three years for Anandabazar Patrika. He covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections. He also worked with News18-Bangla and covered the Bihar Lok Sabha election in 2019. ... Read More

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