Centre hasn't paid GST compensation to states for 4 months: Bhupesh Baghel

New Delhi [India], Aug 26 (ANI): The situation is very "fearful" as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation has not been paid to the states by the Centre for the past four months, said Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday.
Taking part in a discussion through video conferencing with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and chief ministers of some opposition ruled states, Baghel said that in case the Centre was unable to pay the same it should give back the right to levy taxes at the production points to the states.
"Centre has not paid GST compensation to the states for the last 4 months. Today, the situation is fearful," Bhupesh Baghel said.
The Chhattisgarh CM also raised the issue of the New Education Policy (NEP)-2020 and said that deliberation on this needed to be done as it could prove to be disastrous to the states.
He further asserted that there was an urgent need to stop the "privatization drive" being run by the Centre from Kashmir to Kerala, and called for a united fight against the move to hand over management of the airport to private firms.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot also voiced his concerns at the woes being faced by the state in the meeting.
"It seems the Centre is not giving any thought to the woes being faced by the states. I think the time is ripe to raise the issue, and meet either the Prime Minister or President over it. Till the purchasing power of the people is increased, the economy will not be normalised. I do not know why the Centre is not understanding this. Even the economists are saying it," CM Gehlot said.
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who was also a part of the meeting, said that conducting JEE, NEET at this stage would lead to a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
"The Indian government will be responsible for it. We will jointly fight the battle against the Central government on this issue," Narayanasamy said.
Earlier in the meeting, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had said that opposition ruled states such as Maharashtra, Punjab, West Bengal, Jharkhand should collectively approach the Supreme Court for deferring NEET, JEE Main to be held next month.
Banerjee said that apart from the movement of trains being hampered, the COVID-19 pandemic has also had a negative impact on the mental health of the students. (ANI)