Maharashtra claims Rs 30,000 cr dues from Centre

The tri-party Maha Vikas Aghadi government on Tuesday asked the Narendra Modi-government to clear its GST refund to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore.

State’s Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said: “The Central government should extend a helping hand in the current situation, where heavy rains have caused large scale damage, but it has not done so yet. However, the state government is yet to receive its rightful GST refund worth Rs 30,000 crore till the end of September from the Central government.”

In the past, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who holds the Finance and Planning portfolios, and senior leaders of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have requested the Centre to clear the GST dues.

Thorat, who is the President of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, said that the state government has raised Rs 55,000 crore for salaries and other daily expenses through loans. “The Covid-19 outbreak has had an adverse effect on the revenue generation. Maharashtra pays the highest taxes to the central government, but the centre is always reluctant to step up and help the state. Even despite all this, the state government stands firmly behind the farmers and will surely be helping them.”

Targeting the BJP, he said: “BJP leaders in the state are making huge demands but they are not trying to get the pending Rs 30,000 crore as GST refund from the central government for Maharashtra. Apart from the GST refund, they should also use their relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and help in getting maximum financial assistance for the state. If they do this, we will welcome and congratulate them as well.”