The cabinet has also decided that Rs 100 per month GPS tracking charges will now be paid by the transport department, apart from Rs 495 GST charges for the SIM.
NEW DELHI: Auto rickshaw drivers will no longer have to pay the fitness fee of Rs 600, which includes Rs 400 for the test and Rs 200 for the certificate. This is among a slew of revisions approved by the Delhi cabinet. The cabinet has also decided that Rs 100 per month GPS tracking charges will now be paid by the transport department, apart from Rs 495 GST charges for the SIM.
Delhi: Fitness fee, GPS charges waived for auto drivers
The move comes a month after TOI had reported that Aam Aadmi Party was planning to waive off or reduce various fees paid by the auto-rickshaw drivers.
“The main reason for the fee revision is that it was not a big revenue generator, but a source of corruption. The idea is to reduce public interface to curb chances of corruption. Apart from the fitness test, the drivers will no longer have to visit the transport office for other transactions, which they will be able to avail through doorstep delivery services,” a government source said.
Of the several proposed changes, the cabinet has agreed to slash the fitness penalty for late fee that has been lowered to Rs 300 from Rs 1,000 monthly and from Rs 50 per day to Rs 20.
The registration fee has also been slashed from Rs 1,000 to Rs 300, while the fee for duplicate registration certificate has been brought down to Rs 150 from the earlier Rs 500.
The charges for transfer of ownership will now be Rs 150 against Rs 500 earlier, while the penalty will be Rs 100 against Rs 500 per month charged earlier. The hire purchase addition fee has also been slashed from Rs 1,500 to Rs 500, the official said.
In a statement, the government said that the Rs 1,000 fees for grant and renewal of permit, which is contained in Rule 59(1)(a) of Delhi Motor Vehicle Rules, 1993, (DMVR) has been proposed to be lowered to Rs 500. However, “an amendment will be required to give effect to this proposal,” the statement said.
All the fresh changes will come into effect from September 1. Only the fees with respect to grant and renewal of permit is expected to come into effect from October 15— by when necessary changes in DMVR are likely to be made, the statement said.
The auto rickshaw drivers have been strident supporters of Aam Aadmi Party and a strong vote bank for whom the party also plans to constitute an auto wing in every assembly constituency.
AAP Delhi convener and cabinet minister Gopal Rai had recently said, “The drivers have been playing a vital role in the election. Before the AAP government came to power, they operated in fear. There was no one to hear them out. Moreover, leading a dignified life, running a household and educating their children were a big challenge.”
Source: http://bit.ly/2KQkvwy
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