Meghalaya Cabinet: Slew of measures to revitalise state economy

SHILLONG:

The Meghalaya Cabinet, on Thursday, approved the proposal of the Transport Department to enhance taxes on booking of “fancy vehicle number.”

“The registration number ML-05-0001 has been enhanced from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1 lakh, registration numbers ML-05-0002, ML-05-0003 and ML-05-0009 have been enhanced from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000, registration numbers ML-0006, ML-05-0007 and ML-00-8 have been enhanced from Rs 30,000 to Rs 70,000 and the regional registration number ML-05-1111 has been enhanced from Rs 15,000 to Rs 50,000,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said.

Tynsong said the state government would earn an estimated revenue of Rs 7 crore annually with this decision.

The cabinet also approved the draft of the Meghalaya Electric Vehicle Policy, 2020, which would take effect from April 1.

Besides this, the cabinet approved the proposal of the ERTS Department on introducing Airport Retail on and off licence by the addition of a new rule 279 (a) and the amendment of rule 245 of the Meghalaya Excise Rules as adopted and amended by Meghalaya.

Tynsong informed that the Shillong Airport at Umroi would have on and off license wine shops inside the airport because of the new rule.

"Because of the shortfall in the supply of GI pipes concerning the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, the cabinet has approved the proposal of the PHE department to buy GI pipes from other manufacturing units," Tynsong said.

According to Tynsong, the PHE department had been buying GI pipes directly from the North East Zone manufacturing unit in Byrnihat.

“The NE Zone manufacturing unit cannot meet the supply to meet the demand of GI pipes for implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission throughout the state,” he said.

(Edited by Andre Kongri & Christopher Gatphoh)