Relief on cards? Nitin Gadkari says govt drawing up plan to make toll tax less taxing

NEW DELHI: A proposal to provide relief to maximum number of people paying toll tax on roads and highways is under consideration of the government, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said today.

Replying to supplementaries in Rajya Sabha, Gadkari said the toll policy was regularly revised and a proposal to provide relief to people paying toll was under consideration.

The proposal, he said, would be put before the Union Cabinet for approval.

However, there was no proposal under consideration to put an end to toll taxes, the Minister said.

He also informed the House that e-toll system was being implemented to reduce the time to pass through the toll gates.

Gadkari said the Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, which determine toll-related issues, have been formulated keeping in mind the requirements of National Highway development, their maintenance as well as to fulfil the aspirations of the land users.

Replying to a question, Minister of Water Resources Uma Bharti said the Environmental (Protection) Act 1986 Act does not empower the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) or any other authority to impose any financial penalty as per the concept of 'Polluters Pay Principle' on industrial units found discharging effluent and not conforming to the standards and seriously violating the discharge norms.

"Remedial steps in this regard are under consideration of the government," the Minister said.

Strict penal action was required to be put in place to deal with those, including industrial units who pollute rivers, Bharti said, adding the government was committed to making the river Ganga pollution free.