Jaipur41 minutes ago
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman targeted Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at a press conference in Jaipur on Monday.
The Rajasthan government will not get Rs 45,000 crore deposited in the central trust for new pension schemes. This is being considered as a setback for Gehlot, who implemented the Old Pension Scheme by abolishing the NPS. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has categorically refused to give NPS money to the state governments. Nirmala Sitharaman said- If any state takes a decision for some reason that the funds of NPS should be collected, then it will not be available. With this statement of Sitharaman, the old pension scheme of Rajasthan government has got a setback.
Sitharaman said that it is employee’s money, earning interest, that money will come in the hands of the employee at the time of retirement. The collected money will not come into the hands of the state government, it is impossible. When the right time comes, only then this money will be given to the employee. Nirmala Sitharaman was interacting with the media after the budget discussion at a hotel in Jaipur today.
Run free schemes only if you have money On the free schemes started by the Rajasthan government, Nirmala Sitharaman said – When the financial condition of the government is good, then run such schemes, bring their money only if you have it. Make provision for them in your budget. If the financial condition of your state is not good, you are not making provision in the budget, you are taking loan for it, it is not right. Then who will give his money? That is why the Finance Secretary had said that there is no free lunch.
The one who promises to the public, give the same money
Sitharaman said- To bring such schemes, the states should raise funds from their own resources and earn from taxes. For free schemes, the states are putting their burden on someone else, it is wrong. We have been re-structuring the power sector for the last five years. You made a promise to the public, formed the government with those promises.
Sitharaman said that power companies were burdened with debt. Power generating companies demanded dues from discoms, discoms did not have money. If the government does not give this money, then who will pay for the electricity generation? If there is a delay in electricity even for an hour, then the Modi government is accused that Modiji is not giving electricity to the poor. But who made the promise to the public, why give the money to the one who did not make the promise?
Sitharaman asked whether the stopping of Gujarat’s water was not political. There is only one thing in the dictionary of Congress, they politicize everything. Even if he speaks on ED, income tax, he will speak only politically. Even if they have committed some crime, the Congress is not ready to accept it.
Congress has no right to accuse Gujarat of stopping water
On the question of stopping the work of Barmer Petro Chemicals Hub on political grounds, Sitharaman said – Congress leaders having a heart like stone have no right to accuse the Modi government. The Congress has no right to blame the Modi government for stopping the water of Narmada to the people of Gujarat.
Taunts on Gehlot, said- CM had kept last year’s budget in a box
Taking a dig at CM Gehlot, Sitharaman said – Congress CM’s dictionary is the same and he politicizes everything. I respect CM. Even on the budget day of Rajasthan, I said that mistakes happen, the CM read the last year’s budget.
Sitharaman said that God bless that such a mistake should not be made by any finance minister. The PM had also said that he forgot to keep the last year’s budget in the box, no work was done on it. Opened the same box and read the budget. No finance minister should be like this.
With what mouth are those raising tax on petrol and diesel questioning the Center?
Sitharaman said- Many state governments have not reduced VAT on diesel-petrol even once. The same states are standing up and asking the central government that the money on gas has not been reduced. After winning the elections in Himachal Pradesh, the Congress government has increased the tax on petrol and diesel. Now they should think while sitting in Chhattisgarh, but with what face they are asking us questions.
Union Finance Secretary said – the government will not get the money of the employees
Union Finance Secretary TV Somnath said that after implementing OPS, states are demanding refund of NPS funds. That money cannot be given back to the state governments, the governments will not get that money back. NPS money is an agreement between the employee and the trust.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not respond to a question on special category status to Rajasthan. She remained silent on the question related to the special status of Rajasthan. Rajasthan has been demanding this for a long time.
Governments in OPS are putting burden on incoming governments
Union Economic Affairs Secretary Vivek Joshi said that OPS is an unfunded scheme. The government is postponing the burden of its liabilities. They are postponing their responsibility on other governments, the burden of pension of the employees who are working today will fall on the next generation. This load is being shifted for the future.
Taking petrol-diesel under GST depends on GST Council
On the question of bringing petrol-diesel under the ambit of GST, Nirmala Sitharaman said that it is decided by the GST Council, only the Council will decide. Not only the central government, all the states are in the GST Council. If Congress governments want it to be included in GST, then they should tell the rate, discuss in GST Council.
Know- What is New Pension Scheme i.e. NPS
Government employees recruited on and after January 1, 2004, were taken into the New Pension Scheme (NPS). This was deducted from the salary of the employees every month. The Gehlot government implemented the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) from 1 April 2022. In NPS, 10% of the basic salary of the employees was deducted, the same amount was deposited by the state government as its share. This money is deposited in the Pension Fund and Regulatory Development Authority (PFRDA).
39 thousand crore rupees are deposited by the employees of Rajasthan under NPS in PFRDA. According to PFRDA’s law, this money can be given only to the employees. Employees can make pre mature withdrawal if they want. Last year itself, the Gehlot government had banned the withdrawal of NPS money by the employees.