|NDTV|
Claiming that the Centre has raised ₹ 4 lakh crore in the recent times from increased fuel prices, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday demanded that the money be equally distributed among states.
Ms Banerjee, during an Assembly session, alleged that the Union government has slashed excise duty recently on petrol and diesel, with an eye on the upcoming Assembly elections in five states.
"The central government has collected around ₹ 4 lakh crore from the taxes levied from selling cooking gas, petrol and diesel at increased prices. Now, they (BJP) want the states to reduce the VAT. "The Centre should distribute that ₹ 4 lakh crore equally among the states," she said while addressing the West Bengal assembly.
The Chief Minister further said that the state has been providing several subsidies despite financial constraints.
(Except for the headline and the pictorial description, this story has not been edited by THE DEN staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)