Kolkatta, 9/5 (AO Bureau);
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding tax exemption on import of medicines and equipment needed to fight the Kovid epidemic. He also demanded the PM to strengthen the health infrastructure across India including Bengal and increase the supply of medicines and oxygen for the treatment of corona infected patients.
Mamta Banerjee said that “organizations, individuals and philanthropic agencies” offered assistance ranging from oxygen concentrators and cylinders to cryogenic storage tanks and Kovid-19 drugs. He urged the Center to free such items from GST and Custom Duty so that private aid can be encouraged.
Tax exemption will help to overcome the problems of supply
CM Banerjee wrote in his letter that “… many donors and agencies have approached the state government to consolidate the exemption of these items from duty or SGST or CGST or IGST. As the rate structure comes under the purview of the Center , I would request that these items be exempted from GST, customs and other taxes, to help overcome supply bottlenecks. ” The Chief Minister emphasized, “Donation of these things will help the State Government’s efforts to meet the huge gap in demand and supply of medical resources”.
This third letter to PM Modi after Mamta was sworn in
After taking oath for the third term on Wednesday, Mamata Banerjee has written this third letter to PM Modi on the Kovid crisis in the state. On Friday, he wrote a letter to highlight the potential oxygen supply crisis. The CM had said that the demand had already increased to 470 MT per day, and it was expected to increase to 550 MT within seven to eight days.
CM had said that instead of allowing the Center to supply oxygen produced in Bengal to Bengal, the supply was increased to other states.
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