Life tax for autos, tractors likely

Amaravati: The state government is planning to introduce life tax for autorickshaws  and tractors once for all. Minister for Transport Atchannaidu made an announcement in this regard to solve the problems of owners of autos and tractors who pay taxes quarterly.

Answering a question from the members in the AP Assembly here on Tuesday, the minister said that the owners of autos and tractors were wasting time in making rounds to the offices of Transport department to pay the vehicle taxes.

He said that the penalty amount on auto rickshaw drivers would be reduced. Earlier in Assembly, MLAs Bonda Umamaheswara Rao and Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu pointed out that the auto drivers have been facing difficulties due to unbearable penalties being imposed by the Transport department. The government would get bad image due to the rules framed by the Centre, they said.

They suggested to the government to scrap the rules or make some changes to the Act. States like Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have already reduced the taxes. The increased tax brought huge burden to autos, the MLAs added.