Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday demanded that state governments should be given appropriate rights for development as per the local conditions, while also seeking special policies and strategies for the development of his state. While addressing the 23rd meeting of the Central Zonal Council held in Bhopal chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the chief minister gave various proposals on which important decisions were taken in the meeting.
“Decisions such as Raipur airport will become a cargo hub, the central government will declare minimum support price for Kodo, Kutki and decision of providing Vermicompost made under Godhan Nyay Yojana the benefit of Nutrition Based Subsidy on the lines of chemical fertilizers on the request of Chhattisgarh government was also taken,” said an official statement. During the meeting which was attended by Secretary Amitabh Jain, Additional Chief Secretary Subrata Sahu and Secretary to Chief Minister Siddharth Komal Pardeshi, the Chief Minister suggested eight out of 19 agendas.
“Special policies and strategies are needed for the development of Chhattisgarh as it has 44 per cent forest area, majority of Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes population, and the effect of Naxalite activities in dense forest areas, dependence of livelihood on agro-forest products and traditional means,” he said. Baghel stressed that the state government has been taking all possible measures for development from the limited resources of the state, while also highlighting the need for a “special cooperation of the Government of India”.
The CM demanded reimbursement of expenditure made by the state government for the eradication of Naxalism. “Baghel today reiterated the state’s demand of GST compensation, transferring of the amounts collected as ‘additional levy’ from coal block companies,” said the statement.
He also requested for speedy action on other pending demands of the state government including a refund of deposits in the New Pension Scheme. Baghel claimed that the state governments have borne a loss of revenue “due to the GST tax system”, and alleged that the “Centre has not made arrangements to compensate the loss of revenue of about Rs 5,000 crore to the state in the coming year”.
“So the GST compensation grant should be continued for the next 5 years even after June 2022,” he said. The chief minister said that NITI Aayog has appreciated the better performance of the aspirational districts of the state in the last three-and-a-half years, however, he called for the resolution of the resource problems in the state.
He also urged for relaxation under Forest Conservation Act in setting up of 5 MW solar power plants in 10 aspirational districts of Chhattisgarh. He further said that Chhattisgarh has strengthened the rural economy through the protection and development of ‘Narva, Garuva, Ghurva, Bari’, under the Suraji Gaon Yojana.
