Whalesbook
Centre ki Aakhri Koshish, States ki Revenue ki Jang
Supreme Court May 20 ko ek aise case ki sunwai karne jaa raha hai jahan yeh tay hoga ki mineral resources par tax lagane ka haq kiska hai. Centre ne state governments ke us ruling ko challenge kiya hai jisme Supreme Court ne July 2024 mein kaha tha ki states hi minerals par tax aur royalty collect kar sakte hain, Parliament nahi. Centre ne September 2024 mein is ruling ko review karne ki koshish ki thi, lekin court ne mana kar diya tha. Ab yeh curative petition Centre ki aakhri umeed hai.
Royalty vs Tax ka Chakkar Kya Hai?
Asal mein, yeh mamla kaafi saalon se chal raha hai, 1999 se. Constitutional entries ko lekar confusion hai. Parliament ko mines regulate karne ka power hai, jabki states mineral rights par tax laga sakte hain. 1989 mein Supreme Court ne kaha tha ki royalty payments ek tarah ka tax hai, jisse states ka power limited ho jata tha. Lekin 2024 ke ruling mein 9 judge bench ne kaha ki royalty actual mein mineral rights use karne ka payment hai, tax nahi. Is ruling ke hisaab se states ko 2005 se collect ki gayi royalty ka paisa mil sakta hai, jo billionon mein ho sakta hai. Court ne bola tha ki yeh paisa April 1, 2026 se 12 saalon mein diya jaayega, lekin interest aur penalty maaf hai.
Mining Industry Chintit Kyun Hai?
Centre agar yeh case haar jaata hai, toh states ko shayad pichhle saalon ka bhi paisa dena padega. Kuch reports ke mutabik yeh amount ₹2 lakh crore se bhi zyada ho sakta hai. Centre ka kehna hai ki alag alag states mein alag alag tax honge toh 'international ramifications' ho sakte hain aur desh ki federal system ko bhi nuksaan pahunchega. Is uncertainty se mining industry bhi pareshan hai. Companies ko lagta hai ki unke operating costs badh jayenge, global level par competitiveness kam hogi aur foreign investment bhi ruk sakta hai. Kuch badi companies jaise Tata Steel ne pehle hi aise potential tax demands ke liye paisa side mein rakh liya hai.
States Ka Fayda Aur Centre Ka Dar
Ye Supreme Court ka ruling mineral-rich states jaise Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Goa, aur Jharkhand ke liye ek badi jeet hai. Yeh states mining se hi apna revenue generate karte hain. Lekin Centre ko dar hai ki agar har state apne hisaab se tax lagayega toh desh mein economic imbalance aa sakta hai, inflation badh sakta hai aur growth targets miss ho sakte hain. May 20 ki sunwai crucial hai yeh dekhne ke liye ki kya Centre Supreme Court ko convince kar paata hai ya nahi.