Transporters meet FM, say biz monopolised

Chandigarh, September 9

Private transporters today knocked on the doors of Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, complaining about the monopolisation of the transport business by a prominent political family of Punjab and seeking reduction in taxes to survive the competition.

These operators, led by Congress MLA Avtar Henry Junior, who is also into the business, rued that they were on the verge of financial ruin because of the increase in Motor Vehicle Tax and monopolisation of business by a powerful political family. In spite of the change in political regime, the family had continued to spread its business and was now controlling 60 per cent of the transport business.

The operators sought a reduction in Motor Vehicle Tax, which had been increased from Rs 2.80 per km per passenger to Rs 3.06 per km per passenger, recently. Even the number of days on which the operators get rebate from paying taxes have been reduced from six days to four days. — TNS