Will approach courts if needed to secure state’s share of central grants: CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said he would approach the courts if necessary to secure the state’s rightful share of central funds.
Speaking to reporters here, he also slammed the Centre for celebrating rationalisation of Goods and Services Taxes (GST), saying there was little to celebrate after eight years of introduction of GST in the country.
Commenting on the Centre refund of Rs 3,200 crore, Siddaramaiah said, “UP is getting 17 to 18 per cent of the central grant while we are getting only 3.5 per cent. Is this justified? We are asking them (Centre) to rectify it.”
According to him, every year Rs 4.5 lakh crore tax goes from Karnataka to the Centre whereas the state gets only 14 per cent, which is not proper.
“I am not saying the state should withhold money from the Centre. My point is that the Centre should collect it in a justified manner,” Siddaramaiah said.
To a question if this was intentional, the CM pointed out that the 15th finance commission had recommended special grants for Karnataka but the Centre, especially Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, cancelled it and the state did not get its due share.
“Further, the 15th Finance Commission had recommended Rs 4,590 crore for Karnataka, which was not given to us. Besides it, Rs 6,000 crore, Rs 3,000 for lake rejuvenation, Rs 3,000 crore for peripheral ring road around Bengaluru and Rs 5,400 crore for upper Bhadra scheme were also denied to us. Isn’t this intentional?” he asked.
Siddaramaiah added that Karnataka was supposed to receive Rs 11,490 crore along with an additional Rs 5,000 crore, which has not been released.
Asked whether the state would take legal action, he said, “If needed, we will go to court to get the money.”
Regarding the ‘GST Utsav’ being organised by the BJP leaders, Siddaramaiah said the central government introduced the GST in 2017 and fixed the tax rates but after eight years, it rationalised the taxes.
“After rationalisation, will the Centre refund whatever tax it had collected in the last eight years? What is there to pat in the back?” he wondered.
The Chief Minister alleged that the GST rates were revised with an eye on upcoming assembly elections in Bihar.
Siddaramaiah noted that the rationalisation of taxes would result in losses for states and not the Centre.
“We will incur Rs 15,000 crore loss annually. Look at the situation we are in. We cannot oppose the rationalisation. We have to welcome it and we are the ones who will be at loss.”
On the ongoing ‘caste census’, he said more than three crore people have been surveyed till Thursday, covering over 80 per cent houses. I hope it will be completed by October 7.
To a question if the survey will be extended, he said, “Let’s see. I hope that the process will be completed by October 7.”
Responding to the allegation by some Hindutva outfits that the survey is aimed at helping conversion, Siddaramaiah asked why the BJP leaders were not opposing the caste census ordered by the Centre.
“We are not doing caste survey. We are doing socio-economic and educational survey. How is this going to create rift between castes?” Siddaramaiah said.
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West Asia: India supplied 22,000 MT of high-speed diesel to Bangladesh in March, says MEA
New Delhi (PTI): Amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, India has supplied 22,000 metric tonnes of high-speed diesel to Bangladesh in March and has received a request from Seychelles and the Maldives to meet their energy requirements, the MEA said on Friday.
At his weekly briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in his response to a query related to requests received from India's neighbouring countries for fuel amid the West Asia situation, also said that India is "finalising a government-to-government agreement" for the supply of oil and gas, which will play an important role in reinforcing energy security of Mauritius.
The conflict in West Asia has now stretched to nearly 50 days, with global ramifications.
"So, we have received requests from our neighbouring countries for supply of fuel, and these are being looked into, keeping in mind our own requirements, availability and refining capacity," Jaiswal told reporters.
He further said India has "supplied 22,000 metric tonnes of high-speed diesel to Bangladesh in March 2026, and further supplies have continued this month as well".
"You would recall that last month we had supplied 38 metric tonnes of petroleum products to Sri Lanka as well," he added.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Mauritius last week, the MEA spokesperson said, adding, "We are finalising a government-to-government agreement for supply of oil and gas, which will play an important role in reinforcing the energy security of Mauritius".
As far as Nepal is concerned, there is an existing arrangement between Indian Oil Corporation and Nepal Oil Corporation to supply petroleum products to Nepal as per its requirements. The supplies are continuing without any interruption, he said.
Energy supplies to Bhutan also continue according to the existing arrangement.
"As I had mentioned earlier, we have received a request from Seychelles and the Maldives to meet their energy requirements. We continue to be in touch with them in this regard, and are considering the request keeping in mind our own domestic requirements and availability of fuel.
"I would also like to add that our neighbouring country governments have expressed appreciation for the uninterrupted supply, fuel supply to them during the West Asian conflict," Jaiswal said.
Global oil and gas prices surged after Iran restricted the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG trade.
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