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Sukhpal Khaira urgtes PM Modi to release Punjab’s Rs.6800-cr GST share

Chandigarh, April 9, 2020 (Yes Punjab News)

In a statement issued here today former Leader of Opposition and MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira begged PM Modi, to immediately release approx. Rs. 6800 crore GST arrears of Punjab pending with the central government.

Khaira said since Punjab like the rest of India is grappling with serious crisis of hunger, medical aid and want of essential commodities in wake of the corona virus challenge. We need the money to reach out to the poor needy daily wagers and other self employed people, who have been locked down due to curfew for the last 18 days said Khaira.

Khaira said there is no logical justification to withhold this rightful hard earned money of Punjab state particularly during crisis time with the state facing a whopping debt of Rs. 2.5 lac crore.

Khaira said that the industry in Punjab is already on the verge of collapse due to gross discrimination with the state, in view of huge tax holiday packages to neighbouring hill states since 2004.

Punjab being a border state, land locked with no sea port just cannot afford to compete with hilly states having huge tax benefits said Khaira. Khaira held both Congress and BJP-SAD alliance responsible for this blatant discrimination, as both UPA and NDA have ruled at the centre since 2004.

Khaira condemned SAD and Sukhbir Badal for being mute spectators to the denial of GST arrears to Punjab by the centre, as his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal is very much a Cabinet Minister of the Modi government. Khaira urged her to raise her voice within the cabinet to get the said arrears released without any further delay.

Khaira chided Capt. Amarinder Singh for ignoring their pleas in the Vidhan Sabha while passing the GST bill in Punjab, as “one nation one tax” would only further reduce the financial autonomy of states and render them glorified municipalities. Khaira said had Capt. Amarinder Singh heeded to their advice we would not have had to beg the central government for our own tax money.

Khaira said realising the damage such a national tax could do to the autonomy of states and kill the spirit of a truly federal system, developed nations like the USA etc. have not adopted GST in their country, to save autonomy of their respective states.

While urging state leaders to raise their voice against this centralised GST system, Khaira urged PM Modi to not only immediately release the GST arrears of Punjab but all the other states as well, so that they can support the poor needy Indians in this lock down period imposed by him.


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