Centre making contradictory statements over Bengal’s GST compensation dues: Minister

West Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya on Thursday claimed that the Centre was making contradictory statements on the state’s GST compensation dues by deciding to release the balance for June 2022, and at the same time asserting that audited figures were not submitted.

Bhattacharya pointed out that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, after the 49th meeting of the GST Council last week, had said in a release that West Bengal will receive Rs 823 crore for June 2022 as GST compensation.

“This is contradictory… On one hand, it is said that we have not given the accountant general (AG) certificate and no calculation (of the dues) was done, and on the other hand, she (Sitharaman) says everything has been paid till May 2022 and this (amount of Rs 823 crore) is only for June 2022… My respectful submission is this makes no sense,” the minister noted.

Bhattacharya was speaking at an interactive session here, titled ‘Bengal’s Fiscal Health in Post Pandemic: Road Ahead’, organised by the Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

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