Shimla, Nov 10:Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said BJP had discussed the issue of increasing import duty on the apple with Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and minister of all apple producing states but apple import duty could not go above threshold 50 pc being regulated code products.
She said import duty may go upto 70 pc under Special window but it couldn’t be 100 pc. “Apple import duty could not above threshold rate of 50 pc and windows rate 70 pc already imposed. She said being a commerce minister she found that flooding of imported apple affecting those area where domestic supply of apple is not made and the government could not stop import of foreign apple to check the availability of apple and fruits in such areas which include Kochi of Kerala. She said it is not possible to supply domestic apples to such costal markets and they couldn’t be affected by glutting of foreign apples.
Notably, 2014 Lok Sabha and 2017 Assembly Election Prime Minister promised to increase import duty on apple to protect the interests of domestic ape grower by hiking it to 100 pc bringing apple under Special category products.
Addressing a press conference here Wednesday on the last day of pill campaign, the Finance minister said,”Centre couldn’t Transfer the NPS funds or corpse laying with a designated body as the money belonged to Workers and it couldn’t be claimed by state government and union as per the legal provisions.” NPS contribution money with the centre couldn’t be handed over to the state government as it would be handed over to workers” She said.
Evading a query about restoring the Old Pension System, Sitharaman said it was abolished by former Congress rules and Virbhadra Singh Government so the question should be asked from Congress. She said BJP transferred more funds to Himachal Pradesh compared to former Congress and UPA rule she said total devolution of Grant in aids and tax under UPA from 2009-2014 was 42081 Core and under NDA rule it was 2014- 2019 about 81679 Cr and from 2019 to 2022 it was 70400 Cr. already .
She said in first terms NDA Transfer double funds that of UPA and till 2024 this would definitely increase more than 2014-2019. She said the state was getting more funds than Congress to assist the state government given the increasing burden of state debt. She said the government could not decrease or increase the interest rate on the house loan as it is not in her preview.” Rate of interest for house loan was determined by RBI which depends upon prevailing situation. ” she said.
