Dargola/Dharamshala: Providing self-employment opportunities to the youths, the state transport department has decided to allow permits for buses up to 18-seater at concessional tax rates.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said it while addressing the Private Bus Operator’s Union at Dargola in Shahpur Vidhan Sabha area of Kangra district.
Permits would be awarded under Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Transport Scheme.
The Department has already identified as many as 107 routes in rural areas, CM revealed and further announced to advertise more routes to provide transport facilities in the rural areas.
Acknowledging the losses of private transporters during the Covid pandemic, the Chief Minister stated that the transport business was severely affected and the state government had tried to provide relief by waving taxes on all commercial vehicles during the pandemic.
Besides, the state government has provided a loan amount of Rs. 11 crores to stage carriage operators to run their buses smoothly under Interest Subvention Scheme on Working Capital. He said that the State provided tax relief for twenty months, which was probably the maximum in the country as about Rs.120 crore benefits were provided to the transporters.
CM Thakur also lauded the role of transporters in bringing lakhs of stranded youths back home from various parts of the country during the covid period.
