Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Greater share: On States and central taxes

Greater share: On States and central taxes

States deserve (पात्र होना, योग्य होना) a bigger share of central taxes in post-GST era

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s exhortation (प्रेरणा, प्रोत्साहन) to the Chief Ministers gathered at the 10th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog over the weekend, in New Delhi, that the Centre and States should come together as “Team India” to propel (प्रेरित करना, आगे बढ़ाना) the country forward, is a good sentiment (भावना, विचार); but, it belies (झुठलाना, खंडन करना) reality. The Centre-States relationship right now is a one-way street, with the Centre resorting to (सहारा लेना, उपयोग करना) the stick, and, occasionally (कभी-कभी), to the carrot method, to make the States comply with (अनुपालन करना) its wishes. The States are finding it increasingly (more and more, steadily more, continuously more, gradually more) difficult to voice (व्यक्त करना, कहना) their often genuine and serious grievances (शिकायत) at the national level since federal (संघीय) bodies such as the NITI Aayog Governing Council or the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council do not meet often. Meeting once a year is not nearly (लगभग, करीब-करीब) enough for the Governing Council (The Governing Council of NITI Aayog comprises the Prime Minister of India; Chief Ministers of all the States and Union Territories with Legislature; Lt Governors of other UTs; Ex-Officio Members; Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog; Full-time Members, NITI Aayog and Special Invitees. First constituted in February 2015 and reconstituted in February 2021, the Governing Council embodies the objectives of cooperative federalism and presents a platform to discuss inter- sectoral, inter-departmental and federal issues to accelerate the implementation of the national development agenda) of a body whose very first objective (उद्देश्य, लक्ष्य) is to develop a “shared vision of national development (विकास, प्रगति) priorities”. The GST Council (जीएसटी परिषद), too, has not met in more than five months, when regulations (rule, law, act, directive, statute, decree, ordinance, fiat) say it should meet at least once a quarter (a period of three months (considered as one-fourth of a year)). So, when the States do get a chance to speak at the national level, as they did on Saturday, most have no choice but to focus on their individual problems or achievements rather than (instead of) on a collaborative (collective, combining, joint, shared, synergetic) ‘Team India’ approach. There were, however, some notable (important, significant, marked, obvious, striking, glaring) deviations (divergence/departure, abnormality, irregularity) where Chief Ministers looked beyond their States’ borders in an attempt to drive national growth. One was Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s proposal for the creation of three sub-groups of States to focus attention on (emphasise, highlight, underline, underscore, stress, call/draw attention to) the issues of GDP (a measure of economic activity in a country. It is the total value of a country’s annual output of goods and service) growth and investments, leveraging (use something to maximum benefit) India’s demographic (relating to the statistical study/structure of populations, especially human beings) bounty, and using technology to drive (cause something to happen; cause something to develop) governance. Sub-groups are a good way for the Centre to bring States on board (on to a team (as a member)), if it finds a body (group, bloc, syndicate, association) comprising all States to be too unwieldy (cumbersome, unmanageable, difficult, awkward, unhandy).

The most notable pan-India suggestion (proposal, recommendation, advice, idea) was probably (perhaps, may be, presumably) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s call (demand, requirement, appeal; reason/cause) for the Centre to share 50% of its tax revenue with the States, up from the current formula of 41%. This is an issue that certainly requires more discussion. The implicit (implied, indirect, hinted, unstated, tacit, unexpressed, underlying) condition behind the Centre providing States compensation (payment, repayment, settlement (for loss/damage)) for any losses arising out of GST for five years was that the States would use this time to bolster (strengthen, support, make stronger, reinforce, buttress) their own tax revenues. While progress on this has been patchy — with some States doing far (much, very much) better than others — it has nevertheless (nonetheless, however, anyway, anyhow, at any rate) been significant. The States’ combined own tax revenues as a percentage of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) (it is defined as a measure, in monetary terms, of the volume of all goods and services produced within the boundaries of the State during a given period of time, accounted without duplication) grew from 6.6% in 2017-18 to 7.2% in 2024-25. On the other hand (instead, alternatively, contrarily), GST has failed to live up to (fulfil, satisfy, achieve, meet, match up to) its potential (possibilities, potentiality, prospects, promise, capacity, capability, ability, power), with net revenues only recently surpassing (exceed, be better than, be greater than, transcend, go beyond; be more than something; to do more than something) pre-GST indirect tax levels. Since GST subsumed (include, incorporate, absorb, encompass) many of the States’ levies, it seems only fair (just, equitable, fair-minded, honest, upright, even-handed, trustworthy) that the Centre seriously consider their demand for a bigger share in central taxes.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.deserve (verb)

Hindi Meaning - पात्र होना, योग्य होना
English Meaning - justify, be entitled to, be qualified for, be worthy of.

2.exhortation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रेरणा, प्रोत्साहन
English Meaning - a communication/statement that forcefully urges someone to do something; urging, encouragement, pushing, insistence; call, demand, entreaty, appeal, cry from the heart

3.propel (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रेरित करना, आगे बढ़ाना
English Meaning - drive, spur, motivate.

4.sentiment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भावना, विचार
English Meaning - idea, point of view, thought, opinion, belief.

5.belie (verb)

Hindi Meaning - झुठलाना, खंडन करना
English Meaning - contradict, misrepresent, falsify, give the lie to, distort, be at odds with, call into question.

6.resort to (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सहारा लेना, उपयोग करना
English Meaning - use, utilise, make use of, adopt, have recourse to, fall back on.

7.occasionally (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - कभी-कभी
English Meaning - sometimes, at times, from time to time, (every) now and then, periodically.

8.comply with (verb)

Hindi Meaning - अनुपालन करना
English Meaning - adhere to, abide by, conform to, stand by, stick to, follow, obey, observe.

9.voice (verb)

Hindi Meaning - व्यक्त करना, कहना
English Meaning - express, state, communicate.

10.grievance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - शिकायत
English Meaning - complaint, protestation, protest, criticism, problem, objection.

11.federal (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - संघीय
English Meaning - relating to a system of government in which establishments such as states or provinces share power with a national government.

12.GST Council (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जीएसटी परिषद
English Meaning - a federal body (established under article 279A of the Constitution) that aims to bring together states and the Centre on a common platform for the nationwide rollout of the indirect tax reform.

13.nearly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - लगभग, करीब-करीब
English Meaning - almost, practically.

14.objective (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उद्देश्य, लक्ष्य
English Meaning - target, intention, purpose, goal/aim.

15.development (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विकास, प्रगति
English Meaning - progress, progression, advancement, improvement, growth.

16.Governing Council (noun)

English Meaning - The Governing Council of NITI Aayog comprises the Prime Minister of India; Chief Ministers of all the States and Union Territories with Legislature; Lt Governors of other UTs; Ex-Officio Members; Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog; Full-time Members, NITI Aayog and Special Invitees. First constituted in February 2015 and reconstituted in February 2021, the Governing Council embodies the objectives of cooperative federalism and presents a platform to discuss inter- sectoral, inter-departmental and federal issues to accelerate the implementation of the national development agenda.

17.NITI Aayog (noun)

English Meaning - The National Institution for Transforming India, also called NITI Aayog, was formed via a resolution of the Union Cabinet on January 1, 2015. NITI Aayog is the premier policy ‘Think Tank’ of the Government of India, providing both directional and policy inputs. (Think tank is a panel of experts who provide advice and ideas on political, social or economic issues).

18.carrot and stick (adjective)

English Meaning - a policy approach that offers both a reward and threat of punishment.

19.increasingly (adverb)

English Meaning - more and more, steadily more, continuously more, gradually more.

20.regulation (noun)

English Meaning - rule, law, act, directive, statute, decree, ordinance, fiat.

21.quarter (noun)

English Meaning - a period of three months (considered as one-fourth of a year).

22.rather than (phrase)

English Meaning - instead of.

23.collaborative (adjective)

English Meaning - collective, combining, joint, shared, synergetic.

24.notable (adjective)

English Meaning - important, significant, marked, obvious, striking, glaring.

25.deviation (noun)

English Meaning - divergence/departure, abnormality, irregularity.

26.drive (verb)

English Meaning - cause something to happen; cause something to develop.

27.focus attention on (phrase)

English Meaning - emphasise, highlight, underline, underscore, stress, call/draw attention to.

28.Gross domestic product (GDP) (noun)

English Meaning - a measure of economic activity in a country. It is the total value of a country’s annual output of goods and service.

29.leverage (verb)

English Meaning - use something to maximum benefit.

30.demographic (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the statistical study/structure of populations, especially human beings.

31.bounty (noun)

English Meaning - generosity, magnanimity, largesse; blessings, favours.

32.governance (noun)

English Meaning - administration, government, regime.

33.on board (phrase)

English Meaning - on to a team (as a member).

34.body (noun)

English Meaning - group, bloc, syndicate, association.

35.unwieldy (adjective)

English Meaning - cumbersome, unmanageable, difficult, awkward, unhandy.

36.pan- (combining form/prefix)

English Meaning - all-inclusive; of everything, all.

37.suggestion (noun)

English Meaning - proposal, recommendation, advice, idea.

38.probably (adverb)

English Meaning - perhaps, may be, presumably.

39.call (noun)

English Meaning - demand, requirement, appeal; reason/cause.

40.implicit (adjective)

English Meaning - implied, indirect, hinted, unstated, tacit, unexpressed, underlying

41.compensation (noun)

English Meaning - payment, repayment, settlement (for loss/damage).

42.GST Compensation (noun)

English Meaning - Under the GST law (In India), state governments are guaranteed full compensation for any revenue loss for the first five years after the introduction of the goods and services tax (GST) in July 2017. The compensation is a gap between actual revenue collected and projected revenue.

43.arise out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - result, occur, accrue, ensue.

44.bolster (verb)

English Meaning - strengthen, support, make stronger, reinforce, buttress.

45.patchy (adjective)

English Meaning - erratic, irregular, occasional, sporadic, unsystematic.

46.far (adverb)

English Meaning - much, very much.

47.nevertheless (adverb)

English Meaning - nonetheless, however, anyway, anyhow, at any rate.

48.Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) (noun)

English Meaning - it is defined as a measure, in monetary terms, of the volume of all goods and services produced within the boundaries of the State during a given period of time, accounted without duplication.

49.on the other hand (phrase)

English Meaning - instead, alternatively, contrarily.

50.live up to (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - fulfil, satisfy, achieve, meet, match up to.

51.potential (noun)

English Meaning - possibilities, potentiality, prospects, promise, capacity, capability, ability, power.

52.surpass (verb)

English Meaning - exceed, be better than, be greater than, transcend, go beyond; be more than something; to do more than something.

53.subsume (verb)

English Meaning - include, incorporate, absorb, encompass.

54.levy (noun)

English Meaning - imposition, charging, collection (of a tax, fee, fine).