Union transport ministry terms Entry Fee irrational
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 18 May 2013 10:45 IST
AIMTC leaders meet Arun Jaitley
The union ministry of road transport and highways has objected to the imposition of entry tax by Goa government and has sought a status report on it.
In a letter written to Goa’s principal secretary of PWD and transport, deputy transport secretary Nandan Singh has termed the entry tax as irrational step and additional burden on the road transport sector.
The letter is being sent in response to the petition received by the union ministry from All India Motor Transport Congress, which has presently stopped all its members from entering Goa with its goods vehicles.
The union ministry has also reminded the state government about the central advisory issued in 2010 to withdraw any levy of entry tax or entry fee, which is not provided in Motor Vehicles Act 1988.
The ministry has also reminded Goa government about the decision taken in consultation with states to collect consolidated fees collected by the centre from national permit vehicles and distributed among all the states on prorota basis.
“It is not understood as to why the Transport Department of Goa, which is regularly getting the monthly share of National Permit, has failed to honour the basic concept of National Permit System and have started Entry tax on goods vehicles registered in other states”, stated the deputy secretary.
Copies of the letter have also been sent to Goa’s transport director Arun Desai and AIMTC president Bal Milket Singh.
Meanwhile, the AIMTC yesterday also met BJP leader and Rajya Sabha opposition leader Arun Jaitley in this regard.
“Mr Jaitley has assured us to talk to Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar in this regard”, said AIMTC president Singh.
He also told the delegation that the BJP would discuss the issue at the national executive meeting scheduled in Goa in the first week of June.
