Mumbai, March 1 (IANS): Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Monday said that a huge amount of Rs 29,290 crore in GST compensation remains unpaid to Maharashtra out of a total of Rs 46,950 crore.

The Governor said of the total amount, the Centre has cleared only Rs 6,140-crore and another Rs 11,520 crore was given as loan till February 2021 to the state government.

Accordingly, a compensation of Rs 29,290 crore is overdue from the Centre to the state, said Koshyari, while addressing the joint sitting of the state legislators on the opening day of the Budget Session of the Maharashtra Legislature.

Before and after the Covid-19 pandemic crisis struck the state, top Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders including Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat, Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut and others have been regularly demanding the GST compensation dues from the Centre.

"By the end of February 2021, out of the Rs 46,950 crore due to my government as GST compensation, the Central government has paid just Rs 6,140 crore and Rs 11,520 crore as loan for GST compensation. GST compensation to the tune of Rs 29,290 crore is overdue from the Central Government," observed the Governor in his speech.

Koshyari added that the state economy has slowed down owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, besides natural calamities.

"Out of the revenue collection target of Rs 347,456 crore the State has collected just Rs 188,542 crore at the end of January 2021. This is 35 percent less than the the budgetary estimates and 21 percent lower than the collection in the same period in the previous year," said Koshyari.

However, despite the significant fall in revenues, the State provided priority funding to the departments of public health, medical education & drugs, relief & rehabilitation, food & civil supplies, and home to tackle the pandemic and lockdown crises, he said.

"To stimulate the economy, my government has provided for 75 percent of the budgetary provision for capital expenditure and released 100 percent money to the Local Development Fund, DPC schemes and Dongri Vikas Karyakram," the Governor noted.

In view of the pandemic situation and the economic condition, the State government is pursuing with the Centre to increase the latter's contribution to central schemes.

Koshyari patted the State government for several measures to control and manage the pandemic which have become a model not only for the rest of the country but also for other countries.

Present on the occasion were Thackeray, Pawar, Leaders of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis and Pravin Darekar, ministers and legislators of both Houses.