Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has criticised the demand made by certain states for central funds in proportion to their tax contributions, terming it as "petty thinking" and "unfortunate."

Speaking at the 'Rashtriya Ekatmata Yatra 2025', an event organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the ‘Students Experience in Inter-State Living (SEIL)’ initiative, Goyal emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi firmly believes the country’s progress is tied to the development of the northeastern and eastern states, including Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand.