News Analysis India

Tag: TMC Government

  • Bengal BJP asks TMC government to slash state tax on fuel

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: The West Bengal BJP on Thursday stated that the Mamata Banerjee government should reduce VAT on petrol and diesel, taking a cue from the Centre, if it was serious about being pro-people.

    The TMC, however, termed the Centre’s decision to slash excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10 per litre respectively a “mere eyewash”.

    Describing the Centre’s move as a “Diwali gift to the nation”, Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, took to Twitter, and said, “Now the WB Govt should follow suit and slash state tax to further bring down the rates.”

    BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh tweeted that the TMC government, “which claims to be pro-people”, has its task cut out to reduce VAT imposed by it on petroleum products.

    The party’s state president, Sukanta Majumdar, also made a similar demand.

    Claiming that the slash in excise duty is “nothing but an eyewash”, TMC state general secretary and spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, nonetheless, pointed out that the meagre reduction was announced after the rates hit the roof.

    “They should bring down the main price component,” he tweeted.

    The TMC leader contended that the Centre levies higher tax on petroleum products than the state and as such the reduction in excise duty wouldn’t have much bearing on the Union government’s exchequer.

    He further alleged that the Centre gives BJP-ruled states more funds when compared to those which have opposition parties at the helm.

    “The BJP-ruled state governments get their dues from the Centre on account of the taxes it levies, but Bengal remains deprived,” Ghosh said, iterating TMC’s allegation that the Union government metes out a “step-motherly treatment” to the Mamata Banerjee government.

  • TMC government’s performance better than Left’s: BJP MLA Ashok Lahiri

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: BJP MLA Ashok Lahiri said on Thursday that the Trinamool Congress government has fared well in terms of the development of West Bengal as compared to the previous Left Front government.

    Lahiri, a well-known economist who has served as the Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India, made the comment when asked about the performance of present Finance Minister Amit Mitra and his predecessor Asim Dasgupta.

    “This is a very difficult question to answer. I know both of them so well. But, I believe that West Bengal is doing better under the present Trinamool Congress government in terms of development,” he told reporters at the state Assembly.

    It was Lahiri’s first day at the Assembly after winning the state elections from the Balurghat seat.

    Speaking on the state Budget in the House, he said the West Bengal government has devised several welfare schemes for the people but should make the list of beneficiaries public.

    Audit of the accounts of the state government by CAG should also be done to reflect the real financial picture of the various departments, he said.

    The state government should also divulge the details of the Centre-sponsored schemes which are in force in West Bengal, Lahiri said.

    Meanwhile, BJP skipped the Business Advisory Committee meeting after their adjournment motion over the dubious vaccination camps case was not admitted by Speaker Biman Banerjee.

    Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikary said, “We did not boycott the meeting but remained absent since our adjournment motion was not admitted by the speaker. We did it for the sake of the common people. Everything should be reciprocal.”