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CM calls on FM, demands extension of compensation on GST for 5 years

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By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 14 Jun: On an official tour to New Delhi, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat today called on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani and Union Minister of State for Sports Kiren Rijiju in the course of his busy day-long schedule and put forward some demands on behalf of the state before them.
During the meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Rawat requested extension of the period of GST compensation for another five years beyond June 2022 in view of the adverse circumstances due to Corona as well as in view of the limited economic resources in Uttarakhand. CM Rawat said that, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, work on many development projects in Uttarakhand was progressing rapidly. He added that all possible cooperation had been provided by the Union Government to the state.
The Chief Minister said that after the implementation of GST, there was a significant loss of revenue in the state, in view of which, the Union Government had approved GST compensation for the state, but its period was going to end in June 2022. He further said that the unprecedented emergency situation that Covid pandemic had brought to the country and to Uttarakhand, financial revenues and resources of Uttarakhand had been very adversely hit. The Chief Minister urged the Union Finance Minister to extend the period of GST compensation by five more years beyond June 2022.
The Finance Minister promised to consider his demands. Chief Secretary Om Prakash, Secretaries Amit Negi, Radhika Jha, Shailesh Bagoli and other senior officials were present at the meeting.
Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat also met Union Minister for Textiles, Women and Child Development Smriti Zubin Irani at Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi, later today. Irani said that Uttarakhand ought to set up a Craft Tourism Village and connect it with the homestay scheme. The Chief Minister and the Union Minister held a special discussion on the preservation of arts of Uttarakhand. Irani said that on the lines of Madhubani art, the state ought to focus on its local art, Aippan. Linking it with textile desigining, special attention could be given to exports. She added that artisan fairs ought be organised in the state where local artisans could be trained and updated with latest information related to their trade. She also called for organising of Handloom Fairs in every district from 1 to 7 August every year and linked to local products as well as to e-commerce. Similarly, textile fairs also could be organised from 1 to 15 August, which would benefit the local artisans. The Union Minister said that she herself would come to the textile fairs. Chief Minister Rawat informed the Union Minister about the Mukhyamantri VatsalyaYojana. He told about various schemes related to women and child development being run in the state.
Rawat later called on Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and urged him to expand the City Gas Distribution Project in the State of Uttarakhand to the entire urban population of Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital districts as well as the adjoining semi-urban areas. He further urged the Union Minister to ensure early completion the Project in the State. In view of the extreme geographical conditions of the hill areas of the state, the Chief Minister stressed that the monthly demand of kerosene oil for the state be raised to 1185 kl. Pradhan assured the CM of all possible cooperation to the state from the Centre.
The Chief Minister also called on the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Sports and Youth Affairs Kiren Rijiju. At the request of the Chief Minister, the Union Minister said that under Khelo India Scheme, Khelo India State Level Centres and Sports Science Centres would be constructed at Sports College, Dehradun. Similarly, under Khelo India Scheme, Khelo India Small Centres would be opened in all the 13 districts of Uttarakhand with at least one such centre would opened in each district. A High Altitude Training Centre would be set up at Ransi Stadium in Pauri district of Uttarakhand while a Yoga Centre would be set up at Gairsain. Sports training centres would also be set up at Dharchula (Pithoragarh) and Nanakmatta in Udham Singh Nagar, he promised. The proposal for grant for organising the National Games to be organised in Uttarakhand would be forwarded for approval by the Union Ministry of Sports, to the Union Ministry of Finance, Government of India. Expressing gratitude to Rijiju, the Chief Minister said that sports development in Uttarakhand would get a new direction with the decisions taken today.
Earlier, today, the Chief Minister also paid a courtesy call on President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Chief Minister presented a replica and a shawl of Kedarnath and Badrinath temples to the President and invited him to the Chardham when the situation returned to normal post Covid pandemic.