For last 8 years, Telangana witnesses Centre’s discrimination in extending financial assistance

Telangana government’s charges of discrimination by the BJP-led union government in terms of extending financial assistance has once become evident

Hyderabad: The Telangana government’s charges of discrimination by the BJP-led union government in terms of extending financial assistance has once become evident, this time from figures on the share of union taxes and duties given by the Centre to different States, shared by union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Parliament.

In the last eight financial years, the union government under the States’ share of union taxes and duties gave Rs.1,19,403.42 crore to Telangana. In contrast, the neighbouring State of Andhra Pradesh was given Rs.2,11,727.18 crore while the BJP-ruled Gujarat was given Rs.1,69,650.23 crore.

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These details were shared by Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha on Monday after Congress MP Abdul Khaleque sought details on the collection of taxes from the States and devolution of tax revenues by the union Government.

In reply, the Finance Minister tabled a statement, however, stating that the State-wise data for total tax collected by the government was not maintained due to ‘nature of some taxes’.

The Minister however shared the gross tax revenue collection (actuals) for the last eight financial years and said that the same in the 2021-22 financial year was Rs.27,09,315 crore.

The figures, which show the discrimination towards Telangana, have also proved what IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao has been vociferously protesting against citing the unfair devolution of taxes to States. He had also pointed out that the taxes collected from Telangana were being utilized for executing different development works in BJP-ruled States.