Mamata Banerjee Urges Central Government to Roll Back GST on Life and Medical Insurance Premiums

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for the central government to rescind GST on life and medical insurance premiums, citing public health concerns. She also demanded funds for employment and housing schemes, highlighting discrepancies in fund distribution between BJP and non-BJP-ruled states.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday appealed to the central government to withdraw GST from life and medical insurance premiums. Taking her plea to the social media platform X, Banerjee emphasized the detrimental impact of this tax on people's health. 'Our demand to the Government of India is to roll back GST from life insurance and medical insurance premium on grounds of people's health imperatives. This GST is bad because it adversely affects people's ability to take care of their basic vital needs. If Government of India does not roll back the anti-people GST, we will be bound to hit the road,' she wrote.

Mamata Banerjee has been at odds with the central government over the release of funds for the 100-day wage employment and housing schemes. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh previously criticized the BJP for withholding these funds post their defeat in the 2021 Assembly elections. 'The central government has not provided funds for the 100-day wage employment scheme, forcing the Chief Minister to disburse Rs59 lakh from state funds. They cite irregularities to justify withholding funds while BJP-ruled states like UP, Odisha, and MP receive money. We will continue our protest inside and outside Parliament until funds are released for the 100-day wage employment scheme and the housing scheme,' Ghosh stated.

Ghosh asserted that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman must release the requested white paper on budget allocations to West Bengal, as demanded by TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee. 'In the last four financial years, the BJP has collected Rs4.64 lakh crores in taxes from West Bengal, with pending dues exceeding Rs1.71 lakh crores. We need a white paper on funding for MGNREGA and the housing scheme. The protest will intensify under CM Mamata Banerjee and MP Abhishek Banerjee,' he added.

(With inputs from agencies.)