Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday slammed the Narendra Modi government for asking states to borrow more to make up for revenue losses due to pending goods and services tax dues.
The former finance minister asserted that the two options given by the central government to the states to bridge the GST compensation gap are unacceptable.
"Under the first option the states are asked to borrow by pledging their future receivables under Compensation cess. The financial burden falls entirely on the states," Chidambaram said.
The central government is absolving itself of any financial responsibility. This is a gross betrayal as well as a direct violation of the law
August 29, 2020Also Read: Defer Centre's GST Outgo, Don't Deny States Their Due: Drabu
"Under the second option, states are asked to borrow from the RBI window. It is more market borrowing, only by a different name. Again, the entire financial burden falls on the states," he said in a series of tweets.
Chidambaram claimed that the central government is absolving itself of any financial responsibility.
This is a "gross betrayal" as well as a "direct violation of the law", he alleged.
Also Read: Three Economic Questions Raised By Government's GST Compensation Plan
‘Messenger Of God'
Chidambaram also took a dig at Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over her 'Act of God' remarks on the economy, saying will "the FM as the Messenger of God" answer how should the "mismanagement" of the economy before the coronavirus pandemic be described.
Sitharaman on Thursday had said the economy has been hit by the pandemic, which is an 'Act of God', and it will see a contraction in the current fiscal.
Taking a swipe at Sitharaman over the remarks, Chidambaram said, "If the pandemic is an Act of God', how do we describe the mismanagement of the economy during 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20. Before the pandemic struck India?"
"Will the FM as the Messenger of God please answer?" the former finance minister asked.
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