Centre releases only Rs 417 cr when the total dues stand at Rs 53,000 crore

Kolkata: The Union Finance ministry on Tuesday released just Rs 417 crore as grants-in-aid covering deficit on post-devolution account for Bengal when the Centre owes Rs 53,000 crores to the state.

The Ministry has released Rs 6,157 crore as recommended by the 15 th Finance Commission for 14 states including Bengal.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clear the state's legitimate due when Bengal is simultaneously fighting against aftermath of cyclone Amphan and COVID-19 pandemic.

The state government has already spent Rs 2,500 crore to fight against COVID-19 while Rs 6,250 crore was released for carry out reconstruction work at eight cyclone Amphan affected districts.

Out of the total due amount of Rs 53,000 crore, Rs 11,000 crores due is of devolution funds from the Centre. But only Rs 417 crore was approved by the Centre on Tuesday for August. Interestingly, the same amount was released to cover deficit on post-devolution revenue account.

The remaining of the total due includes around Rs 36,000 crore for different Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), around Rs 4,135 crore as GST compensation and another around Rs 3,000 crore for food subsidies and other heads.

When Rs 417 crore was released for Bengal, around Rs 1270 crore was released for Himachal Pradesh. The same amount was released for the Himachal Pradesh on July as well. Similarly, Rs 631 crore was released for Assam.

The Bengal government had also written to the Prime Minister to clear the dues as it will help the state government in fighting the COVID-19 situation in a better way. The state government has repeatedly highlighted the need for the due amount as the state government had incurred a loss of around Rs 5000 crore per month in the initial months after the nationwide lockdown was imposed.

With the revenue in the state exchequer has nosedived due to the lockdown, the state government has left no stones unturned in providing better treatment to residents of the state and the release of the due amount will help the state government to fight the stressed situation in a better way.