PANAJI
Close to 300 tipper trucks, indulged in iron ore mining activities; have been reimbursed with Green Tax and Fitness test fees, amounting to over Rs 59 crore, collected towards re-registration of their 15-year old vehicle.
The Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in the budget 2024-25 has announced to extend the scheme, which was notified in February 2023 for a period of one year. Under the scheme, the Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) has received 700 applications of which sanction orders with regards to 300 tipper trucks has been issued.
Since September 2023, till date, the DMG has issued four sanction letters covering 300 tipper trucks. The government has paid a total amount of Rs 58.40 crore as reimbursement.
According to the scheme, the green tax and fitness test fees collected towards re-registration of more than 15-year old tipper trucks owned by mining affected people would be reimbursed.
As per the Central rules, commercial vehicles which are over eight years old are imposed a fixed amount to continue to ply on the roads. Trucks are to pay Rs 18,000 Green Tax.
The iron ore mining activities in the State have been shut since March 2018. Prior to that, the industry was closed from September 2012 to April 2014 owing to the Supreme Court order.
