Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: The Meghalaya government has introduced a One-Time Settlement (OTS) Scheme to help commercial vehicle owners clear long-pending tax dues and penalties. Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar launched the initiative in Shillong following approval from the state cabinet.
Under the new policy, owners can receive an 80 per cent waiver on outstanding Motor Vehicle Tax and Goods and Passenger Tax dues, including associated penalties. Furthermore, the state is offering a 90 per cent waiver on penalties specifically tied to fitness certificates. These concessions apply to liabilities accumulated over several years.
Transport Department estimates indicate that total outstanding dues in Meghalaya have reached nearly Rs 1,100 crore, with Rs 900 crore stemming from fitness certificate penalties alone. Officials anticipate the state will recover between Rs 180 crore and Rs 200 crore through this program. Data shows that 65,000 vehicles currently have pending motor vehicle taxes, while over 57,000 face penalties for fitness certificates.
The scheme will remain active until August 31, 2026. Regarding the timeline for these concessions, Dhar stated, "Such waiver programmes cannot be introduced on a regular basis." Once the settlement window closes, vehicle owners must return to making regular quarterly or monthly payments as required by current regulations.
In addition to the tax relief efforts, the minister provided an update on the proposed Vehicle Scrappage Policy. He noted that the government is currently establishing the necessary mechanisms and systems to implement the policy once the essential groundwork is finalized.
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