Amarinder Singh expresses shock over delay in Rs 4,100 cr GST compensation

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday expressed shock over the delay in the release of Rs 4,100 crore of GST compensation to the state and sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the matter.

"Shocking that the Centre is delaying the GST compensation amounting to ?4100 crore as compensation & arrears to Punjab. Urge PM @narendramodi ji & FM @nsitharaman ji to intervene & solve the problem which has the potential to bring governance of the state to a grinding halt," Singh tweeted.

His remarks come days after Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, along with the finance ministers of West Bengal, Kerala, Delhi and Rajasthan, had appealed to the Union Finance Minister to release the GST compensation without any delay.

On November 20, Badal had attended the meeting of the Empowered Committee of state finance ministers at New Delhi.

In a joint statement, they had said, "GST compensation for the month of August and September, required to be paid by the central government, sometimes in October, continues to be outstanding till date."