Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai called on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on July 31 and urged her to release pending GST dues to Karnataka at the earliest.
The Centre had released the state’s share in GST ₹12,000 crore in the last financial year. He requested the Finance Minister to release last year’s dues of ₹11,000 crore. Karnataka’s total share in GST last year (2020-21) was ₹23,000 crore.
In the current financial year (2021-22), the Centre has approved GST compensation loan of ₹18,000 crore to Karnataka, Mr. Bommai told reporters in Delhi. He urged Mrs. Sitharaman to take steps for early release of the loan amount, which would be used for handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Chief Minister also requested the Centre to release its share of funds for implementation of centrally sponsored schemes in Karnataka.
Mr. Bommai was the State’s representative in the GST Council when he was the Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs in the B.S. Yediyurappa government.
‘Centre offers 1 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses’
Mr. Bommai said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has agreed to sanction ₹800 crore for the development of health infrastructure, such as setting up ICU units, and supply of oxygen and medicines for preventing a third wave of COVID-19 in Karnataka.
Addressing mediapersons after meeting Mr. Mandaviya, Mr. Bommai said, “We had requested the Centre to supply 1.5 crore vaccine (doses) to Karnataka. The Union Health Minister has assured to supply about one crore vaccine (doses). This would enable us to provide 2-3 lakh vaccine (doses) daily,” the Chief Minister said.
