Bengal has contributed over ₹8 lakh crore (trillion) to the national exchequer by way of direct and indirect taxes over the last eight years, Amit Mitra, the principal chief adviser to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, said on Friday.

The staggering figure fished out by Mitra was in response to the claim made by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday that Bengal has received its due from the central tax kitty by way of devolution of taxes, central schemes and centrally sponsored schemes.

Of ₹1.07 lakh crore tax devolution budgeted for FY26, ₹47,526 crore has been released as on September, she said. Countering this, Mitra said that it is the ‘constitutional right’ of Bengal to receive the fund and spelt out the tax collected by the Centre from the recent past. He also reiterated the complaint that the Modi government has not released ₹1.93 lakh crore due to it.

Steel investment

Speaking at the annual general meeting of Merchants Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Mitra said Bengal has been trying to attract both large and small industries.

At the event, MCCI president Amit Saraogi said members of the chamber have committed ₹49,261 crore investment in Bengal, majority of which is from the steel sector.

Mitra added the state has recently allocated close to 4,000 acres to five steel units, entailing ₹26,790 crore investment.