SHILLONG :The Meghalaya Cabinet on Wednesday approved a One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme offering major penalty waivers on pending motor vehicle taxes, passenger and goods taxes, and fitness certificate dues for commercial vehicles across the state.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the scheme was introduced to reduce the financial burden on transporters who accumulated heavy penalties over the years due to delayed renewals and pending taxes.
Under the approved scheme, the government will provide:
- 90 per cent exemption on penalties related to pending fitness certificates
- 80 per cent exemption on pending Motor Vehicle Tax and Goods & Passenger Tax
The one-time settlement scheme will remain valid till August 31, 2026.
According to the government, while the original fees were relatively modest, penalties accumulated over time became disproportionately high, placing severe financial stress on many commercial vehicle owners and local transporters who rely on their vehicles for livelihood.
The chief minister said the decision was taken keeping in mind the difficulties faced by local transport operators across Meghalaya.
Read Also : Shillong Local Taxi Association seeks fare hike amid rising fuel prices
“This initiative is aimed at helping transporters return to normalcy, ease financial burden, and improve compliance moving forward,” the government stated.
The state government also urged transporters and vehicle owners to take advantage of the scheme and clear pending dues within the stipulated period.
Must Read Article : Meghalaya still India’s lowest-ranked State in School Education despite years of reform claims