The Hindu Business Line : `High security number plates for vehicles in 2 months'

THE Tamil Nadu Government will put in place a system to issue high security registration plates for vehicles in two months' time. All vehicles in the State will have these plates in two years in line with the schedule announced by the Centre, according to the Minister for Transport and Electricity, Mr R. Viswanathan.

Moving the demand for grants to the departments of transport and electricity in the Assembly on Tuesday, he said the new plates would help prevent fake registrations and motor vehicle tax evasion.

There are over 72 lakh vehicles in Tamil Nadu and 5,000 new vehicles are being registered everyday, including 600 a day in Chennai. Tamil Nadu was second only to Maharashtra in the number of vehicles.

The State Government has managed to reverse the loss-making streak of the State transport corporations, which reported an overall profit of Rs 2.38 crore in 2003-04. Their accumulated losses up to March 2004 was Rs 2,131.88 crore. In 2004-05, they are set to report a profit of Rs 14 crore, he said.

Despite mounting cost of fuel, the State Government has not hiked the transportation cost for the public. The fare per km was the lowest in Tamil Nadu at 28 paise unchanged since 2001 while in Andhra Pradesh it was 35 paise since 2003, Kerala 42 paise and Karnataka 31 paise since 2004.

Even a hike of one paise represents an increase of Rs 100 crore in revenue but the Government has not revised the fares despite continued increase in the price of fuel.

The State transport undertakings spent Rs 1,171.07 crore in 2003-04 on fuel and will spend Rs 1,356.58 crore in 2004-05, an additional Rs 185.51 crore in 2004-05. The transport corporations operate 15,320 buses. The transport corporations are in discussions with oil companies to increase the discount for supply of high speed diesel. Currently, they offer Rs 700 discount for every kilolitre of diesel, which provided a saving of Rs 30 crore between April 2004 and January 2005.

The transport corporations have also entered into an agreement with Reliance Petroleum Marketing, which is offering them a discount of Rs 1,300 a kilolitre. This is to be tried out in 20 depots for six months from April 1. Establishment cost estimated at Rs 1,503.47 crore in 2004-05 accounts for about 42 per cent of the total expenditure. To cut costs, recruitment has been stopped and creation of new posts banned.

The transport corporations owe over Rs 595.62 crore to suppliers for fuel, spares and to accident compensation to be remitted to courts.

The dues include Rs 364.28 crore statutory dues towards provident fund, gratuity and recoveries from employees.

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`High security number plates for vehicles in 2 months'