Amid the ongoing coal shortage, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday said the Central government is not being able to arrange coal and added that it has stopped distributing coal supply to sectors other than the electricity department.
Baghel, who was in Delhi on the day, further said that the coal, being imported, is coming at high prices and the Centre is not giving royalty to the states anyway.
Asked about any plans to reduce the value-added tax (VAT) in the state, the chief minister said, “Rates get increased by the Government of India and VAT should be decreased by the state? Are you (the Centre) giving GST completely to all states? Chhattisgarh alone has to take Rs 30,000 crores of revenue for GST, central excise and coal penalty.”
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged higher fuel prices in many opposition-ruled states, and urged the governments there to reduce VAT in “national interest” to benefit the common man.
Earlier in the day, Baghel attended a joint conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi.
Addressing the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed upon making the judicial system so capable that it can fulfill those aspirations that the country will have in 2047 and pitched for a judicial system that can deliver ‘easy justice, speedy justice, and justice for all’.
“In 2047, when the country will complete 100 years of its independence, then what kind of judicial system would we like to see in the country? How do we make our judicial system so capable that it can fulfill the aspirations of India of 2047, these questions should be our priority today,” the PM said.
“Our vision in Amrit Kaal should be of such a judicial system in which there is easy justice, speedy justice, and justice for all,” the prime minister added.
