Chhattisgarh requests Rs 34,000 crore from 14th finance panel

Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has placed special grant proposals of Rs 34,000 crore before the 14th Finance Commission for the development of various sectors in the state.

The proposal was put forth during the two-day long meeting of the 14th Finance Commission which kicked off here today at New Mantralaya today, an official statement said. At the meeting, Chairman of the nation`s 14th Finance Commission Y V Reddy and its others members, including Abhijeet Sen, Sushma Nath, M Govind Rao and Sudipto Mundale and Secretary A N Jha, along with Chief Minister Raman Singh, deliberated upon financial requirements and proposals of various sectors for the development of Chhattisgarh. The chief minister said that Chhattisgarh`s share in central tax revenue should be increased from 32 per cent to 50 per cent, so as to remove the imbalance between the Centre and state, the statement said. Meanwhile, he also said that forest land should be considered the basis for distribution of revenue to the state. He cited that the input costs of development works increases in the state due to dense forest areas and Maoist violence in several pockets. About other terms of reference, CM said that considering lesser debt burden and financial requirements, Chhattisgarh should be given the liberty to take more loans. Singh also claimed that the Maoist problem is itself a calamity and hence, the Centre should provide assistance from national and state calamity funds to redress the problem.