States demanding funds as per their tax contribution is ‘petty thinking’: Piyush Goyal

Mumbai, Feb 9: Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has said the demand by some states that they get central funds in proportion to their contribution of taxes to the central kitty is “petty thinking” and “unfortunate”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is of the view that if the country is to prosper, the eight states of the Northeast and eastern Indian states like Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand must develop, Goyal said on Saturday.

The BJP leader was speaking at the ‘Rashtriya Ekatmata Yatra 2025’, an event organised here by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the ‘Students Experience in Inter-State Living (SEIL)’ initiative.

In the last 11 years, the Modi government’s “laser focus”, like that of Arjuna of the Mahabharata, was on the Northeast and eastern states, the minister said.

“It is unfortunate that some states and some leaders…I don’t want to politicise it but some leaders from Maharashtra used to say…leaders of the earlier government which was there for two-and-a-half years, they used to calculate the tax paid by Mumbai and Maharashtra and (demand) it should get back that much amount (of central funds),” Goyal said.

The parliamentarian from Mumbai North was apparently referring to the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

“There are some states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana which say they should get back the amount of taxes they have paid. There can’t be any (greater) petty thinking (chhoti soch) than this. There cannot be anything (more) unfortunate than this,” he said.

But there is no need to worry now as the present BJP-led government in Maharashtra is very sensitive towards Northeast India, the minister added.

The Modi government at the Centre, for the last 11 years, has been following “Act East” and “Look East” policy, prioritising Northeast India, said Goyal.

Under the Modi government, the capitals of the northeastern states are being connected by railway and a network of highways is being built, he said.

PM Modi has visited the Northeast more than 65 times, he noted, and urged the people to visit the region at least once to see its beauty and culture. (PTI)

Hot this week

Meghalaya man missing in Bangkok

Shillong, Jan 10: A 57-year-old Meghalaya resident, Mr. Treactchell...

ANSAM rejects Kuki’s separate administration demand, says bifurcation not acceptable

Guwahati, Sept 8: Rejecting the separate administration demand of...

Pay hike of Assam ministers, MLAs likely as 3-member panel submits report

Full report likely by Oct 30 Guwahati Sept 25: There...

Meghalaya’s historic fiber paves the way for eco-friendly products and sustainable livelihoods

By Roopak Goswami Shillong, Oct 25: From making earbuds to...

Meghalaya Biological Park Inaugurated After 25 Years: A New Chapter in Conservation and Education

Shillong, Nov 28: Though it took nearly 25 years...

Bank unions firm on March 24-25 strike as talks with IBA fail

Kolkata, Mar 14: The United Forum of Bank Unions...

Sanju Samson reflects on Rahul Dravid’s influence on his captaincy

Jaipur, Mar 14: Sanju Samson, who will be leading...

Putin thanks PM Modi, Trump for ‘noble mission’ to resolve Ukraine conflict

Moscow, Mar 14: Russian President Vladimir Putin has thanked...

Hurriyat chief placed under house arrest, barred from congregational Friday prayers

Srinagar, Mar 14: Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq...

State lost Rs 1577-cr revenue in 2022-23: CAG

Shillong, Mar 13: Meghalaya has lost revenue to the...

97.5% land handed over to NHIDCL: Govt

Shillong, Mar 13: Land acquisition for construction of the...
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

spot_imgspot_img