Lockdown impacts transport revenue in Assam

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The nationwide Covid-induced lockdown had its cascading effect negatively impacting the MV (Motor Vehicle) revenue collection in the State Transport Department.

Transport is one of the revenue-earning departments in Assam. Besides fees and taxes, the department collects revenue in the form of fines for violation of transport rules, to a large amount. The MV (motor vehicle) revenue collections against their targets since 2013 are – Rs 361.54 crore against Rs 380.59 crore in 2013-14, Rs 378.98 crore against Rs 382.57 crore in 2014-15, Rs 453.93 crore against Rs 510 crore in 2015-16, Rs 546.65 crore against Rs 561.01crore in 2016-17, Rs 676.32 crore against Rs 720 crore in 2017-18, Rs 737.91 crore against Rs 900 crore in 2018-19, Rs 874.64 crore against Rs 1,053 crore in 2019-20, Rs 738.82 crore against Rs 1,000 crore in 2020-21 and Rs 144.99 crore up to June 2021-22 against the target of Rs 1,012 crore.

These statistics make it clear how the MV revenue of the Department of Transport kept rising from fiscal 2013-14 to 2017-18. The department, however, could not meet the MV revenue collection target set by it in any of the fiscals during the period. In fiscal 2017-18, the revenue collection was almost double the amount collected in fiscal 2013-14. The revenue collection reached Rs 874.64 crore in fiscal 2019-20, only to decline by Rs 135 crore to Rs 738.82 crore in fiscal 2020-21.

Officials of Paribahan Bhawan said that the MV revenue collection fell in fiscal 2020-21 due to the mass agitation against the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) and the imposition of the nationwide lockdown in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The target of MV revenue collection this fiscal is Rs 1,012 crore. The amount collected till June is Rs 144.99 crore against Rs 70.31 crore in the corresponding period of fiscal 2020-21.

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