Punjab CM Amarinder Singh extends 100 per cent tax waiver for bus operators till Dec 31

In a relief to bus operators in Punjab, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday ordered 100 per cent waiver on Motor Vehicle Tax till December 31 for all st carri, mini and school buses, while deferring payment of arrears of taxes, without interest and penalty, to March 31, next year.

move will result in total financial benefit to transport sector to tune of Rs 100 crore, according to an official statement. chief minister also directed Transport Minister Razia Sultana to discuss and resolve or issues of concern to mini private bus owners by next week.

decisions and directives were anunced by chief minister at a virtual conference with various private transport associations in state. Besides Razia, Finance Minister Manpreet Badal and Transport Secretary K Siva Prasad were present at meeting.

Though transport department had initially suggested waiver up to 50 per cent of tax till December 31, chief minister, responding to concerns of transporters, overruled department to anunce 100 per cent relief, statement said. transporters were earlier provided 100 per cent relief for two months, till September 30, by state government.

“ chief minister took te of problems faced by transporters, who pointed out that with less than 10 per cent commuters availing bus services, y were unable to meet even cost of diesel to run ir vehicles.    

“Though state transport and PRTC (state transport), being prime routes, were in demand, private bus operators continued to suffer due to COVID-19 pandemic," representatives of transport associations told chief minister. 

Amarinder agreed with transporters that ir industry, run entirely by Punjabis, needed furr support from state government in present situation and accepted ir demand for total tax waiver till end of this year, statement furr said.

(Photo Credit: Twitter/capt_amarinder)