Centre's compensation cess collection in April down 90% YoY at Rs 990 cr

States worries on revenue front will aggravate, unless GST Council, which meets next week, decides to borrow from markets

States' woes on GST compensation front refuse to die. The Centre could collect just Rs 990 crore from the compensation cess in April, 2020-21, almost one-ninth of Rs 8,874 a year ago, according to figures released by the Controller General of Accounts. 

The subdued mop-up would further increase the states problems unless the GST Council, which meets next week, decides to borrow from the markets. 

The union government has pegged compensation cess at Rs 110,500 crore in the Budget for 2020-21. This comes to Rs 9,208.3 crore a month on an average. It is widely acknowledged now that budget numbers