May 05, 2021 Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Bada× Badal urges Union Finance Minister to convene meeting as critical issues hang fire Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal has asked Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to convene a meeting of the GST Council to discuss key issues including essential medicines and equipment for Covid-19 treatment being stuck in ports and airports. Talking to the reporters, he said the Governments have to more nimble. “Aid is needed and it is urgent,” he said. Badal said in a letter to the Finance Minister that the GST Council had not met in the last six months even though Council’s own rules provide for holding at least one meeting every quarter. “However, failure to hold any constructive consultation with States for so long in such critical times makes me wonder whether Centre has usurped all the power of States putting the spirit of cooperative federalism- that formed the very foundation of achieving consensus on the epic reform on the back burner,” Badal charged.