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Non-renewal of permits: Transport deptt suffers INR 1.1 Cr revenue loss

Its failure to renew permits under various categories has cost INR 1.13 crore to Jammu and Kashmir Transport department. According to sources the renewal of permits could have generated about INR 1.13 crore fee and other charges to the department. Sources said the non-renewal of ‘national permits’ for goods carriage has caused a revenue loss of INR 24.64 lakh to the department. Likewise INR 89 lakh loss is on account of its failure to renew the permits and issue fitness certificates to other vehicles operating in the state.

The official figures reveal that against a total of 17093, the department has failed to renew 1391 Goods Carriage permits including 1039 in Jammu and 352 in Kashmir during last two years.

The lapse has led to loss of home state authorisation fees of INR 1,000 and renewal fees of INR 300 per vehicle amounting to a total loss of INR 24.64 lakh.

Sources said that Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had introduced new national system for issuance of fresh permits, according to which INR 16,500 has to be realised towards central pool fund and INR 1,000 home state authorisation fee.

The renewal fee of INR 300 for national permits was prescribed with effect from April 14, 1999 along with application fee of INR 30. Likewise, the Jammu and Kashmir Transport department has also failed to renew permits of J&K State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC).

“Out of 605 permits issued for the vehicles of SRTC, 378 were not renewed resulting in the outstanding permit renewal fee of INR 31.28 lakh,” sources said. Similarly, Road Transport Office (RTO), Jammu and Assistant Road Transport Office (ARTO), Udhampur have failed to renew 404 permits for last 12 years as required under the central Motor Vehicle Act and JK Motor Vehicle Rules 1991.

The outstanding amount of permit renewal fees as on March 2013 was INR 2.51 lakh with additional fee of INR 17.75 Lakh on the account of belated renewals. Moreover, the department has also failed to issue fitness certificates to 4245 vehicles causing a loss of INR 39.11 lakh to it.

Source-On Request