Since the Union government, after selling almost all public sector undertakings, was not in need of any more funds to invest in these enterprises, the State governments should be given 75% of the Goods and Service Tax share as they were taking care of the welfare of the deprived, Speaker M. Appavu said.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday after garlanding the statue of V.O. Chidambaram at the memorial on his birth anniversary, Mr. Appavu said the Union government, which had been squeezing the public by levying unbearable GST for more than eight years and enjoying solely all its benefits, had revised it now. It was not clear if the revision would benefit the common people and the State governments, he added.
After receiving enormous GST revenue from the States and getting significant revenue though Income Tax, sale of fuel and railways, the Centre was not releasing funds for even the school education of poor children. However, the Tamil Nadu government, despite paucity of funds, was implementing various welfare schemes, including free breakfast for the children in government and government-aided primary schools.
The Speaker said the Teacher Eligibility Test, previously mandated by the Centre and now by the Supreme Court, was one of the “most cruel tests” like NEET, and it could be cancelled only if the States were allowed to evolve and follow their own education policies.
Source from: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/states-should-be-given-75-of-gst-revenue-says-appavu/article70016740.ece
