Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has accused the central government of putting more financial burden on states by changing the funding pattern of central sponsored schemes (CSS).
Replying to the discussion on his budget speech in Rajasthan Vidhansabha on Thursday evening Gehlot said, "On one hand the central government talks about Team India but I don’t understand what kind of Team India is this as the centre is increasing the financial burden on states."
Gehlot spoke on Centre's share in central sponsored schemes
Gehlot said that the 15th Finance Commission had increased the share of the states to 42% from 32%, but this increased share has been taken back by changing the funding pattern of CSS.
"Earlier the share of the Centre was up to 90 per cent in most of the CSS which has now reduced to 50-60 per cent and now states are bound to spend more to run these schemes," said Gehlot.
Gehlot accused that centre slashed tax share for the state
Gehlot said that the central government has not only changed the funding pattern but the share of the states in central taxes is also being slashed. "The share of Rajasthan is around 6.026 and according to this Rajasthan should get Rs 82,818 crore, but Rs 61,552 crore has been kept for Rajasthan in the financial year 2023-24 in the union budget and Rajasthan will get Rs 21,266 crore less in the coming financial year," said Gehlot.
He accused the Central Government of slashing the budget also in various schemes and sectors such as a cut of 40 per cent in environment forestry, 71.73 per cent in the Border Area Development Programme, 17.54 per cent in National Education Mission, 30.47 per cent in Swachh Bharat Mission Rural and so on.
At the same time, Gehlot once again pushed the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees and said that it was implemented from a humanitarian point of view. In this budget, the OPS has been announced for all including the boards, and corporations. "This will secure the future of the government employees and will remove their worries," said Gehlot.
