Transport dept sees revenue generation climb north
Kolkata: The state Transport department has witnessed a rise in revenue generation in the first four months of the
current fiscal, as a result of
sustained drives to collect arrears.
The drives have been taken up to ensure that car owners follow the motor vehicle rules strictly. This has resulted in the hike in revenue generation as well.
According to the sources in the state Transport department, the revenue generation against motor vehicle tax and others including vehicle registration fees, driving licence fees, fine against overloading, etc. was Rs 2,292 crore in the 2017-18 financial year.
It shows that the average collection per month in the last fiscal was Rs 191 crore. "The same has further gone up in the first four months of the current financial year and the average revenue generation now is Rs 210 crore per month. There has been a revenue generation of Rs 840 crore in the first four months of the 2018-19 fiscal," said a senior official of the department.
It may be mentioned that the revenue generation during the Left Front regime in the 2011-12 fiscal was Rs 960 crore. With several drives taken up by the state Transport department, the same has gone up to Rs 2,292 crore in the 2017-18 fiscal.
According to the officials of the state Transport department, steps have been taken up to ensure compliance of the motor vehicle rules. Notices are being sent urging to clear the arrears and subsequent moves are also being made in case the same is not cleared despite sending notices. "It is expected that the revenue generation would touch Rs 2,500 crore by the end of the 2018-19 financial year," said an official.
Stringent measures have been taken against overloading of goods and the motor vehicle inspectors (MVIs) maintain a vigil to check the same. Around 200 MVIs will join the existing strength in September.
With the increase in revenue generation, the state Transport department has taken several measures and improved infrastructure in the state's Transport sector.
Besides adding 1,200 new buses in the past seven years, the department has extended financial support to the police in creating necessary infrastructure to check road accidents as a part of the Safe Drive Save Life campaign.
Around 2,500 state-run buses used to ply in the state in 2011. The number has gone up to 3,200, despite around 100 buses that plied for more than 15 years or 8 lakh kilomtres, being scrapped. Moreover, e-buses and CNG buses have also been introduced.
Interestingly, the erstwhile Left Front government used to take loan to buy buses that had led to a debt of Rs 132 crore. Now, the state Transport department procures the buses from its planned budget.
