Packed agenda for GST Council today
The Hindu
Some States expected to seek an extension of five-year compensation for implementing new regime
The crucial meeting of the GST Council to decide on extending tax concession to 11 COVID-19 drugs and review tax rates of over 4-dozen items, like oncology medicine and coconut oil, began in Lucknow on Friday.
The 45th meeting of the GST Council, chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and comprising state finance ministers, is the first physical meeting since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The last such meeting took place 20 months ago on December 18, 2019.
Friday's meeting does not have the provision of video conferencing and almost all state finance ministers, except Gujarat, are attending the meeting.

Insurance penetration and density are often misunderstood and do not reveal how many families are insured or whether they would be financially secure if the main earning member were to die. The real issue is not reach but adequacy, as households may have life insurance but not enough cover to replace lost income, leaving them financially vulnerable.












