Break the deadlock

GST compensation issue needs a pragmatic approach

Yet another meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council ended without arriving at a consensus on the compensation issue. The impasse will affect the ability of the states, which are at the forefront of fighting the pandemic, to make necessary expenditure. This will not only hurt India’s fight against Covid-19 but also delay economic recovery. Though Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has downplayed this as mere “differences” which need to be discussed, it is obvious that the stalemate is affecting Centre-state relations at a time when they should be working together to deal with multiple challenges. The Union