Private transporters in Punjab given 3 months to pay dues under 'amnesty scheme'

Tribune News Service

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, April 23

The Punjab Government has come up with an ‘amnesty scheme’ for the private transport sector, including small bus operators, cab and auto-rickshaw drivers. About 78,000 bus, cab and auto-rickshaw operators stand to benefit from the scheme.

The small bus operators, cab and auto-rickshaw drivers, who could not deposit their taxes because of the Covid-induced decline in business, will now get a chance to pay their dues without paying any interest or fear of penalty being imposed on them.

As a result, many of the beneficiaries who had stopped work for fear of challans and impounding of their vehicles over non-payment of Motor Vehicle Tax (MVT), can now restart work under the scheme.

They will have to deposit their old unpaid tax within three months, between April 25 and July 24. Though the amount of unpaid tax is more in case of bus operators, the number of cab and auto drivers who will benefit under the scheme is higher. The government hopes to collect Rs 80 crore of the unpaid MVT after the scheme is rolled out.

Though the exact number of bus operators who failed to pay the tax and cess over the two-year pandemic period is not known, official sources said the MVT had not been paid for at least 50 per cent of the total 2,500 private buses. Many of these buses have been impounded and are listed for auction.

“The small transporters, who run between 2-10 buses each, will have to pay between Rs 8-10 lakh per bus, as the MVT and cess together work out to be Rs 2.75 per kilometre,” Rajinder Singh Bajwa, secretary, Punjab Motor Union, told The Tribune.

With this scheme, the government will also start adding to its non-tax revenue, whose collection, for years, has been far below the budgetary target. “Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who approved the scheme, feels that it is a win-win situation for the government as well as transporters, cab and auto drivers,” said a senior officer in the Transport Department.

Level-playing field sought

Private transporters are hopeful of an announcement of a level-playing field for all private bus operators. A meeting with Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar is scheduled for Monday, where an announcement in this regard is expected. Private transport companies, owned by politicians, get more time to pick up passengers from a stop.

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