Outgoing finance minister Mr Asim Dasgupta advised the Ms Mamata Banerjee led government to chase the Centre for the INR 5,000 crore it owed West Bengal as coal royalty.

Mr Dasgupta said that "Since 1991, the Centre has been discriminating against Bengal on the issue of coal royalty. The next government can take it up with the Centre and if they get the money, they can spend it productively."

The Union cabinet committee on economic affairs has not revised the coal royalty rates for Bengal as the state government levies cess on coal at 25% while the royalty rates vary between 11.08% and 18.84% depending on the grades of coal.

Citing a Supreme Court judgment of 2004 in a case between the state government and Kesoram Industries, Dasgupta claimed that the state had powers to levy cess and at the same time get royalty on coal. He added that “We have told the Centre that we will reduce the cess once we get the benefit of royalty, but our requests have been overlooked time and again.”

But Mr Dasgupta did not comment on whether the Trinamul-led government with Congress as its ally will find it easier in getting the dues from the Centre.

(Sourced from www.telegraphindia.com)