Chief Minister requests Centre to reconsider the decision of not procuring Usna Rice from Chhattisgarh
Demands to return Chhattisgarh’s share of coal penalty worth Rs 4140 crore
Cess on Petrol-Diesel should be reduced
Chief Minister Mr. Baghel voices state’s demands in the virtual meeting with Union Finance Minister
Raipur, 15 November 2021
Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel today attended the virtual meeting of Chief Ministers from all the states of the country, chaired by Union Finance Minister Dr Nirmala Sitaraman, from his residence office. Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Mr. Bhupesh Baghel discussed various financial matters of the state with the Union Finance Minister. Chief Minister said Chhattisgarh has completed the target of 35% capital expenditure set by the Central Government in the first and second quarters. He said that Chhattisgarh state is known as the ‘rice bowl’, where paddy is produced in abundance. Chief Minister said that for the last two-three years, Chhattisgarh Government has been requesting for the permission to produce bio-ethanol from surplus paddy.Chief Minister said that production of bio-ethanol from surplus paddy would benefit the state and the farmers, and it would also save the foreign exchange spent by Government of India on import of petroleum products.
Chief Minister Mr. Baghel told the Union Finance Minister that Chhattisgarh Government has made all the preparations to manufacture ethanol from paddy in the state. MoUs have also been signed with 12 companies for setting up bio-ethanol plant. He also informed that the state has got the permission to produce ethanol from sugarcane and maize. He requested the Union Finance Minister to get permission for Chhattisgarh to manufacture ethanol from paddy. Chief Minister said that the Food Ministry of Government of India has given consent to take 61.65 lakh metric tonnes of rice from Chhattisgarh in year 2021-22. But the decision of Central Government to not take Usna rice from Chhattisgarh is not in the interest of the state, its millers and workers. He said that there are about 500 Usna mills in the state with a production capacity of 5 lakh metric tons per month. This decision of Central Government would shut down these mills, leaving the labourers here unemployed. Chief Minister said that Centre has been taking Usna rice from the state in the past. He requested Union Finance Minister to reconsider the said decision of the Central Government.
In the meeting held today, Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel requested the Union Minister to return Rs.4140 crore worth of Chhattisgarh’s share in the coal penalty, which has been deposited in the Central Pool of Central Government. Chief Minister said that Union Coal Minister has given in-principle consent regarding the refund of this amount of coal penalty, but the action on this consent is to be taken by Ministry of Finance, Government of India. Chief Minister also suggested reduction in the cess on petrol and diesel to control their prices. Mr. Baghel informed that Chhattisgarh state is incurring a loss of about Rs. 500 crore every year due to the reduction in excise duty on petrol and diesel.
On this occasion, Chief Minister requested conversion of the revenue deficit of 15th Finance Commission into a grant. He said that in the financial year 2021-22, 17 states are being provided a grant of Rs. One lakh 18 thousand 552 crore. This grant should be provided on the basis of revenue deficit from the year 2021-22 to 2024-25 to support the COVID-affected economies of the states. The grant is being given for the losses incurred in the previous years, which does not compensate the loss incurred due to COVID crisis. Provision of the grant would compensate the loss incurred due to the pandemic. Mr. Baghel said that the states which could not maintain their financial system properly, they would get grants and the states which have maintained the financial system would not get anything. This decision should be reconsidered.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Mr. Amitabh Jain, Additional Chief Secretary Mr. Subrat Sahu, Principal Secretary Industries Mr. Manoj Pingua, Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Siddharth Komal Singh Pardeshi, Finance Secretary Mrs. Alarmel Mangai D, Secretary of Cooperative Department Mr. Himshikhar Gupta, Secretary of Food Department. Mr. T.K. Verma, Revenue Department Secretary Mr. NN Ekka, Special Secretary Energy Mr. Ankit Anand, Director Industries Mr. Anil Tuteja, Markfed MD Mrs. Kiran Kaushal, Director Finance Mrs. Sharda Verma and senior officers were present.
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