Opposition interpreting report incorrectly, says Sudhir Mungantiwar

Mumbai: State finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader to react to the Finance Commission report, said that the Opposition has interpreted the report incorrectly and government would put forward its side before the commission.

“The Opposition is happy as the Finance Commission’s report is out. But the commission has received misinformation about the economy. We will present our side before it. This will end the confusion and miscommunication,” said Mr Mungantiwar. He also said that the state has already demanded Rs 50,-000 crore for Mumbai city’s development and Rs 25,000 crore for the development of Vida-rbha and Marathwada. “We will present the pr-oper plan for the state’s development to finance commission. This will be satisfying for them,” said Mr Mungantiwar.

In the face of heavy criticism over the conclusions of the 15th Finance Commission about Maharashtra’s economy, the BJP’s Maharashtra unit has criticised the commission itself. In a memorandum submitted by the party’s MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar to the co-mmission, BJP has reje-cted the conclusions, saying that they are ba-sed on wrong assumptions. “Maharashtra’s GSDP and debt ratio during the UPA government was 25 per cent. As per rules of Reserve Bank Of India, it should be under 22 per cent. But, that time in 2005-07, it was more than that limit. But, now disciplined economic handling has brought it down to 16 per cent which is well within the limit,”
said Mr Bhatkhalkar.