Our Bureau
SHILLONG, May 28: The Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising the East Jaintia Hills Truck Owners and Transporters Association and the Jaintia Hills Truck Owners Association, has welcomed the Meghalaya government’s decision to introduce a One-Time Settlement (OTS) scheme for vehicle documents.
The Cabinet on Thursday approved a 90 per cent waiver on penalties for delayed fitness certificate renewals and 80 per cent relief on pending motor vehicle and goods passenger taxes. The move offers significant respite to thousands of commercial vehicle owners burdened by mounting dues.
JAC spokesperson Soomeyo Sayoo described the decision as unprecedented, noting it addresses long-standing grievances of transporters, including operators of tourist taxis and pick-up trucks. He urged vehicle owners to utilise the scheme to regularise their documents and ensure future tax compliance.
The Meghalaya International Export Chamber of Commerce (MIECC) also lauded the move. MIECC secretary Dolly Khonglah stated that disruptions in the coal and limestone trade, along with setbacks in cross-border trade with Bangladesh, had severely impacted the financial capacity of vehicle owners. She added that many operators were on the verge of disposing of their vehicles due to the heavy financial burden.
Khonglah also acknowledged Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Transport, Sniawbhalang Dhar, for translating earlier assurances into concrete relief.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, while announcing the decision, explained that the existing penalty structure had become disproportionately harsh. He noted that while the annual fitness certificate fee is approximately Rs 1,200, non-renewal attracts a penalty of Rs 50 per day, leading to annual dues of nearly Rs 18,000.
For vehicles that had not renewed certificates for years, penalties had escalated into lakhs of rupees. The total notional burden across the state is estimated at nearly Rs 900 crore. Sangma said the OTS scheme is designed to allow owners to clear dues at affordable rates and bring inactive vehicles back into the legal transport network.
Dhar lauds Cabinet move
Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar has welcomed the state Cabinet’s approval of the OTS scheme designed to provide relief to truckers and commercial drivers across Meghalaya.
Dhar stated the decision was taken following repeated appeals from vehicle owners and drivers who have struggled with long-pending tax dues and penalties, exacerbated by the coal mining ban and the economic slowdown.
Transporters had sought a relaxation mechanism to help them regularise their documents and resume legal operations without facing insurmountable financial burdens.
Dhar remarked that the state government’s move reflects its commitment to supporting the transport sector and protecting the livelihoods of those dependent on it.
