Gehlot accuses Centre of weakening States

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre of making States “financially weaker” by reducing its share in Centrally sponsored s

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre of making States “financially weaker” by reducing its share in Centrally sponsored schemes and taking policy measures that had led to a significant reduction in the States’ share from the divisible pool. Mr. Gehlot extended support to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, who has written a letter to all Opposition parties and raised the issue of the Centre stopping the devolution of funds to the States as well as the violation of constitutional and democratic norms. Mr. Gehlot said he had raised the similar issue of “step-motherly treatment” from the Centre in the State Assembly. “On the one hand, the Prime Minister talks about cooperative federalism, and on the other hand the States are being made financially weak... The States are not even getting their full share in the Goods and Services Tax,” Mr. Gehlot tweeted.