The Hindu Business Line : UP’s online tax initiative for trucks

New transit system
Time saving of 8-10 hours
No check-posts of Commercial Tax Departments at entry/exit points of the State
Mobile checking unit increased to 150 from 50; they check trucks based on prior information

Mamuni Das

An initiative by the Commercial Tax Department of Uttar Pradesh Government to issue transit passes to transporters on the Web for commercial goods vehicles passing through the State has resulted in considerable time saving of about eight-ten hours.

Now, all the vehicles moving through UP carrying goods from one State to another required these passes as they “transit” through UP and thus do not have pay any tax in UP. Till July 31 this year, these transit passes were issued in paper format to the truck drivers entering the State at one of the 37 check-posts of Commercial Tax department located across UP. Since August 1, under the new system, UP has abolished all these check-posts.

The State has increased the number of mobile checking units. “We now have 150 mobile checking units. Earlier, we had 50,” said a UP Government official involved in the initiative. He requested not to be identified as he is not authorised to talk to the media.These vehicles cross-check trucks only if there is “prior information of suspicious movement”. How the department identifies suspicious vehicles will be taken up later in the article.

TRANSIT PASS

In the earlier regime, to get the transit pass, the transporters — at the first checkpost while entering UP — had to fill up a paper form (with various details). They then had to make three copies, get them stamped and submit one copy of the form at the entry check-post. This took about seven-eight hours.

One copy was kept at the check-post, and two copies returned to the trucker. Those two copies, the truck driver was required to return at the exit check-post while getting out of the State.

At the exit check-post, the Commercial Tax Department official was required to verify the details in the form regarding vehicle and goods; and return the goods receipt. This was another bottleneck for the truckers and the process took about 2-3 hours.

In the transit pass declaration, the truck driver had to fill details like the vehicle registration number, engine chassis number, transporter and his address, truck driver’s name, total number of goods receipts, value of goods, check-post to be used while exiting Uttar Pradesh and tentative date of exit. But, August 1st onwards, UP has allowed the truckers to fill the same details online and a transit pass is automatically generated. The truck driver is then free to transit through UP with a print out of this computer generated transit pass.

While filling in the details, the transporter is required to provide details on the entry and exit points and minimum of two more places that indicate the route which the truck driver will take while crossing Uttar Pradesh. The driver is free to give an alternate route.

“The idea was to reduce the time waste and reduce corruption. With the computer generated transit pass, all the trucks can cross UP without having to stop at any post. But, the mobile units of the Tax Department can stop vehicles and check the papers if they have prior information,” said the official.

The Commercial Tax Department officers use business intelligence to track suspicious movements. “For instance, at times, the database throws up three transit passes against the same vehicle number at the same time. We have several such parameters, which the software throws up. High level officials with access to such data identify these vehicles and put the mobile vehicle units on alert,” the official explained.

THE BENEFITS

“It would be difficult to quantify the benefits accruing to the truckers right now. Just imagine the extra distance covered in eight-ten hours,” says Mr S.P. Singh, Senior Fellow, Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT). IFTRT, a transport research agency, has said that this initiative should be emulated by other State Governments as well.

The number of transit passes issued per day has gone up after this initiative—which means more trucks pass through Uttar Pradesh.

“Earlier, some 5000-6000 transit passes were issued everyday. Now, about 7000-8000 transit passes are issued,” the UP Government official said.

More Stories on : Roadways | E-Governance | Taxation

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