Jammu
Minister of State for Transport Sunil Kumar Sharma, while replying to a question of S Charanjeet Singh, informed the house that the government has provided several incentives to help transporters.
The Minister informed that on the direction of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, the government waived off passenger taxes, withdrew passenger welfare fund and Local Bodies taxes on National Highways for the benefit of transporters.
The Minister informed that the incentives were provided to the transporters to help them to cope with the losses due to law and order situation, increase in a number of private vehicles and other modes of transportation in the state. He said the government is committed to provide every possible support to the transporters.
The Minister further said that transport industry is not an organized sector and it is not directly controlled by the government. He said that there are 12911 buses, 19036 minibuses, 45527 Taxis, 64929 three-wheelers and four-wheeler autos registered in the state which provides means of employment and transport facility for the people.
Replying to a supplementary of Khursheed Alam, the Minister said the government cannot ban the entry of outside buses in the state as this step can result in banning the entry of JK buses in other states also.
