The state Cabinet on Tuesday cleared a proposal to hike penalty for various traffic violations such as wrong parking and supplying fraudulent details for vehicle permits. For example, wrong parking will now attract a challan of Rs. 500 for the first offence and of Rs. 1,500 for a second time. Until recently, the penalty for a second offence was Rs. 1,000. If a traffic police officer is prevented from discharging his duty, the offender will be charged Rs. 2,000, up by 100 per cent. The penalty for giving wrong details for vehicle licence has been increased by four-fold to Rs. 10,000 Commuters who refuse to give way to fire brigade vehicles and ambulances will face a fine of Rs. 10,000. “The intention behind the hike in fines is security of people,” said Cabinet Minister Sidhartha Nath Singh. To give fillip to the state’s efforts for a sustainable growth, the state Cabinet on Tuesday gave its approval for road tax exemption for manufacturing electric two-wheelers and four-wheelers. While electric two-wheeler manufactures will enjoy 100 per cent road tax exemption for the first 1 lakh units, four-wheeler companies will see the tax whittled down by 75 per cent. In another decision, the government doubled the financial assistance to Rs. 50 lakh to the dependants of martyrs from the Army or paramilitary forces.
