KOCHI: The government is ready to cut motor vehicle tax on tourist vehicles to provide impetus to the caravan tourism in the state, said Transport Minister Antony Raju. He agreed to a proposal from Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas to reduce the tax rate.
A proposal in this regard will soon be approved by the government after going through the formalities required, Raju said while inaugurating a joint workshop of Tourism and Transport departments here on Thursday. The meeting deliberated on the operational details of the caravan tourism policy and sensitised regional transport officers (RTOs) on the procedural and regulatory aspects of the project. Hailing the policy a major step forward in tourism development, Raju pledged Motor Vehicles Department’s support to the project.
Presiding over the inaugural session, Riyas asked MVD to ensure that registration and issue of permits to caravans are given in a hassle-free manner. The tax on caravans must be reduced to `250 per square metre from the current `1,000 per sqm, he said.
Raju said the government would provide green channel passage for approved caravans. They would also get preference during pollution testing. Caravans would be registered within 24 hours of application, he added. Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, Vypeen MLA K N Unnikrishnan, Transport Secretary Biju Prabhakar, Transport Commissioner M R Ajith Kumar and Additional Transport Commissioner Pramoj Sankar P S, Mulavukad panchayat president Akbar V S and member Nicholas D Couth were also present.