Finance Deptt fails to take decision despite repeated reminders
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Jan 29: Tens of thousands of people are suffering as the Transport authorities in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory have put on hold renewal of the registration of old vehicles due to lack of clarity on fee applicable for the same.
Even after around six months since the issuance of Government SRO on Token Tax for registration of new vehicles, till date there is no clarity on fee applicable for renewal of registration of the vehicles, which are older than 15 years.
Despite repeated reminders in this regard by the Transport authorities, the Finance Department has failed to take a decision on the fee applicable with the result tens of thousands of applications for renewal of registration are pending for the disposal.
Official sources told the Excelsior that around one lakh applications for different category of vehicles have piled up across the Regional Transport Authorities in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the number is increasing with the passage of time. While the aggrieved people are running from pillar to post for ascertaining the fate of their vehicle’s registration, the Transport Authorities are in a fix because of no clarity on the same.
Pertinent to mention that before the issuance of new SRO, the motor vehicles were being given registration for initial 15 years against the payment of one time token fee of Rs 8700 for the vehicles upto 1300 CC capacity and Rs 22800 for the vehicles above 1300 CC. After 15 years, the registration of old vehicles used to be renewed for next five years against the payment of Rs 3000 and then for three and two years.
Last year, the Principal Secretary Transport Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, issued SRO 392, dated August 1, 2019, according to which nine percent of sale value of the motor vehicle has been applied as One Time Token Tax for registration of all the newly purchased vehicles in J&K.
However, the SRO is silent on the fee applicable for the renewable of registration of the vehicles, which are 15 years old. After the matter was brought into the notice of the Administrative Department, the issue was taken up with the Finance Department for clarity on the same.
Even after the lapse of more than four months since the matter was taken up with the Finance Department for determination of the fee applicable for renewal of registration of old vehicles, no decision could be taken by the concerned authorities despite repeated reminders and a series of meetings, official sources told the Excelsior.
While elaborating, sources said that the Finance Department has to work out whether the fee for renewable of registration should be nine percent of the present insured value of the vehicle or its original value.
Though it is not such a big issue but the Department of Finance is not taking a decision on the same for the reasons best known to the authorities at the helm of affairs while on the other hand, tens of thousands of people are making rounds of the Regional Transport Authorities for ascertaining the fate of their vehicles.
When contacted, Commissioner/Secretary, Transport Department, Asgar Samoon said that the matter was taken up with the Finance Department, which has to decide whether the fee for renewable of registration should be on the basis of present insured value or original value of the vehicle. As and when Finance Department takes a decision in this regard, the same will be conveyed to the Regional Transport Authorities for starting renewal of registration of old vehicles, he added.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
