Opposition CMs should collectively meet PM over pending GST compensation, says Amarinder Singh

New Delhi [India], Aug 26 : Chief Ministers of opposition ruled states should collectively meet the Prime Minister Narendra Modi over pending GST compensation to states, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said on Wednesday at a meeting in which seven chief ministers and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi discussed the issue of pending dues.
Taking part in discussion through video conferencing, Singh said that the situation was "very worrisome" and his state was running out of funds to meet the expenses with the compensation not being paid by the Centre.
"COVID situation is getting worse. From our cities it is now going into the villages. We have spent nearly Rs 500 crore and this figure is going to be higher. We are in a situation where the finances of our states are completely down. The Centre has not paid GST compensation. All of us should collectively go to the PM and tell him what we think," Singh said.
He said that with each passing day the number of coronavirus patients who require medical attention is growing and this would lead to an increase in the funds needed to manage the crisis.
"Our Finance Minister is in constant touch with (Union Finance Minister) Nirmala Sitharaman but there also we are not getting any commitments," he said.
Singh, however, said that he felt that the NEET, JEE examinations could be conducted online and he was concerned about conducting exams in schools, colleges in the state.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said that the opposition in the country currently looks "weak" and is unable to collectively raise the issues.
"The way in which the Centre is using all its mechanism against the Opposition, it will be a big loss to the federal structure," he said, adding that there were job losses and condition of the economy was not good.
He also raised concerns over pending GST dues.