Taking a dig at the Congress for misinformation, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday alleged that the party was indulging in lies, after it lost out to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) co-operative federalism.
Jaitley said: “The Congress on Tuesday had a meeting of Chief Ministers of the nine Congress-ruled States. They raised an issue that Congress-ruled states have been discriminated against by the Centre. However, facts speak otherwise.”
He added: “The NDA government has accepted the 14th Finance Commission’s recommendations, despite strong objections from officers in key ministries. States would get 42 <g data-gr-id="27">per cent</g> share of the Central Tax Revenue as compared with the earlier 32 per cent. Though, this naturally leaves far less money with the Centre.”
Talking about the 14th Finance Commission and the benefits given to Congress-ruled states, the Minister said, Assam will gain an additional Rs 6,696 crore in 2015-16 which is an increase of 49% from 2014-15. “Karnataka will get an additional Rs 8,497 crore in 2015-16, an increase of 48 <g data-gr-id="33">per cent</g> from 2014-15. Kerala will get an additional Rs 8,912 crore the same year, an increase of 92 <g data-gr-id="34">per cent</g> from the previous year. Uttarakhand will get an additional Rs 8,274 crore in 2015-16, an increase of 124 <g data-gr-id="35">per cent</g> from 2014-15. Arunachal Pradesh will get an additional Rs 5,399 crore in 2015-16 which is an increase of 278 <g data-gr-id="36">per cent</g> from 2014-15.”
He added that while slamming the Congress for misguiding the public, saying that their states would face a loss due to decreased plan transfers.
On the context of total taxes and grants transferred to the states, the Minister said: “It has increased by Rs 2,03,192 crore and reduction in transfers for centrally-sponsored schemes is only Rs 63,240 crore, a net gain of Rs 1,40,000 crore to the states.”
Highlighting the centre-state relationship, Jaitley said: “A shining example of co-operative federalism was seen with PM Narendra Modi inviting Mamata Banerjee to Bangladesh and sharing stage with her at all events despite being rivals in West Bengal.”