Curbing Mineral Transit Fraud: Himachal's Strategic Move

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, is set to tackle fake transit pass misuse in mineral transportation. He has directed the Industries department to find solutions following significant revenue losses. Despite a rule for penalizing the lack of passes being stayed by court, efforts to curb this issue persist.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, announced on Wednesday that the government plans to develop a mechanism to prevent the misuse of transit passes for mineral transportation.

During an Industries department meeting, Sukhu voiced his concerns about the recurring use of counterfeit transit passes, which have led to substantial losses in state royalties. To combat this, Rule 81A was previously introduced, imposing penalties for missing transit passes. However, its implementation is halted due to a pending High Court case.

The chief minister urged the Industries department to explore alternatives to avert royalty loss and ensure developmental work proceeds without delay. He also met with Panchayati Raj Institution representatives to discuss the issue.

(With inputs from agencies.)