Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu called on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi last evening and held discussions on various budgetary and financial issues concerning the state that required the attention of the Central Government.
The Chief Minister also discussed with her the issue of the import of apple from Turkey and requested her for a universal hike in the import duty on the fruit to protect the interests of the apple growers of the country.
Sukhu requested the Union Finance Minister to raise the borrowing limit of Himachal and other special category states by at least 2 per cent.
He also briefed Sitharaman about various initiatives taken by the state government to improve its fiscal management and the steps taken to augment financial resources despite several constraints.
The Chief Minister also met Dr Arvind Panagariya, Chairman of the Finance Commission, and pleaded for an increase in the allocation of funds to the state.
The officers of the state government made a presentation to the commission and submitted an additional memorandum. The state asked for green bonus for the ecological and environmental services it was rendering to the nation by preserving its ecosystem.
Sukhu said that the state had suffered losses due to the reduction in the Goods and Services Tax and urged Panagariya for compensation.
He added that the revenue deficit grant for the state should be increased. Panagariya assured the Chief Minister that the commission would consider the submissions of the state.
He said that he had a meeting with Union Minister for Power Manohar Lal Khattar and urged him for the release of arrears by the Bhakra Beas Management Board, besides the appointment of a permanent member from Himachal to the board.
