Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman speaks within the Rajya Sabha in the course of the Winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi, on December 12, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The Centre on December 12 mentioned no GST dues of any State are pending earlier than it and that some state governments have not submitted AG’s authenticated certificates for launch of their share of funds.
The narrative that GST dues are pending from the Centre is not appropriate and is a “misnomer” as States have not submitted AG’s report, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman mentioned replying to a supplementary query in Rajya Sabha.
“It is important to understand that if the AG’s (accountant general) certification is (mandatory)… If the AG’s certificate does not reach us, we can not clear,” she mentioned.
Some states, even after sending AG’s certificates, inform us to carry on until they clear it lastly, she mentioned.
The Finance Minister was responding to a query from Trinamool Congress member Saket Gokhale, who requested concerning the GST dues of States, particularly to West Bengal.
He additionally sought a motive for which the GST dues of the states have been withheld.
Replying to it, the Finance Minister mentioned she would particularly identify some states “so that there are no doubts in the mind of the people”.
Goa has not submitted AG’s certificates for FY 2017-18, FY 2018-19 and FY 2019-20. It can also be but to ship the report for FY 2021-22 and the primary quarter of FY 2022-23.
“For 2022-23 no state, except for Karnataka, has given AG’s certificate as yet,” she mentioned.
West Bengal has additionally not submitted AG’s report from FY 2019-20 to the primary quarter of FY 2022-23.
“AG’s certificate has not come from West Bengal, so the amount would not be released,” she mentioned, including, “to call it pending, I am sorry, its a misnomer. Let them send AG’s certificate, we will clear it.” There are a number of different states which have not submitted AG’s report.
“Kerala has sent us AG’s certificate but has also told us to hold on till they reconcile the numbers with AG themselves. So we are holding on. It is not pending from our side,” she added.
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, who was additionally in the home, mentioned there are not any GST dues of any State authorities. It has already been given to the involved states.
“Even some states have not sent their AG’s report, despite that we have made some provisional payments. Once AG’s report is received, they will receive final payment,” he mentioned.
Congress member Rajiv Shukla raised the problem of misuse of arrest provisions and wished to know the steps that the federal government goes to take for simplification of the GST submitting process.
Replying to it, Ms. Sitharaman mentioned the Finance Ministers of State governments, that are a part of the GST Council, are being advised concerning the difficulties confronted by merchants and the enterprise communities on the bottom.
“The GST Council does discuss these things and periodically the forms are being simplified accordingly,” she mentioned.
Over the misuse of authority by native officers exceeding his transient, Sitharaman mentioned motion had been taken by the council.
The Finance Minister additional mentioned she would welcome any member who thinks that there are difficulties confronted on the bottom, notably officers who’re exceeding their briefs, she could be comfortable to obtain and take motion towards them.
