Shiv Sena hits out at Centre, calls Maharashtra India`s financial backbone, says don`t break it

The Shiv Sena via an editorial in Saamana criticized the policies of the central government in dealing with the coronavirus crisis and sought special financial packages for states.

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Tuesday (April 28) criticised the policies of the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in tackling the coronavirus COVID-10 crisis and demanded that the government declare a financial package from 10 per cent of the country's GDP to deal with the situation. 

In its mouthpiece Saamna, Shiv Sena cited NCP chief Sharad Pawar's letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which the leader sought financial package for Maharashtra and said that the Centre should take financial guardianship of states at this hour.

The article read, "Centre cannot sustain its kingship by slashing financial packages of states. India is a union of states. Every state has it's own economic and it is the responsibility of the Prime Minister to strengthen it. If the financial package of states is disturbed, it would mean breaking the country. A state like Maharashtra is the economic backbone of the country and this has recently been highlighted by NCP chief Sharad Pawar." 

The editorial said, "A rich state like Maharashtra alone contributes Rs 2.25 lakh crore as taxes to the Centre. But due to the lockdown, the state will incur a loss of Rs 1.40 lakh crore and has come under heavy financial burden. Hence, the union government should take a loan and distribute it to the state instead of the states left to borrow."

The article further stated, "The Prime Minister should hold discussions with state Finance Ministers. The state government will have to also spend on the health sector, medical services and education. In such a situation, where will states like Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha stand?"

Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come forward and help all states, the Shiv Sena said, "The Centre should declare a package for states from 10 per cent of the country`s gross domestic product (GDP) as several western countries have done."

On April 25, NCP's Sharad Pawar had written a letter to PM Modi drawing the attention to economic indicators and strategy to overcome the crisis faced by Maharashtra. He had suggested that the Centre should extend the National Small Savings Fund Loan (NSSF) repayment by two years and additional grants of Rs 1 lakh crore should be given to the state for the FY 2020-21.