Maharashtra government govt denies charge about high HSRP fee for vehicles

The Maharashtra government has rejected the Oppositions allegation about charging a high fee for highsecurity registration plates HSRPs citing that the prices were on par with the other statesIn a statement issued late on Friday evening the government said due process was followed while awarding tenders for the registration plates and a highpower committee had approved the ratesThe opposition parties NCP SP and Congress on Friday wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis demanding a probe into the contracts awarded to companies for HSRPsHSRPs are licence plates designed to curb theft and other fraudulent activities related to vehicle identification through enhanced security featuresThe government has made HSRPs mandatory for vehicles registered before April 1 2019 It extended the deadline to fit HSRPs till April 30As per the governments statement the Transport Commissioners Office issued orders for the fees based on the rates approved by the committee and the charges include number plates and fitment chargesThe government claimed that in other states the HSRP rates excluding GST ranged between Rs 420480 for twowheelers Rs 450550 for threewheelers and Rs 690800 for fourwheelers and heavy vehiclesIt pointed out that in Maharashtra the charges excluding GST were Rs 450 for twowheelers Rs 500 for threewheelers and Rs 745 for fourwheelers and heavy vehiclesState Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal and NCP SP state chief Jayant Patil have written separate letters to the chief minister accusing the government of charging an exorbitant fee and have sought a probe into the contracts awarded to companies for HSRPsMaharashtra government to have single window system for approval process of 1660 petrol pumpsA single window system will be set up at the collectors office in every district in Maharashtra to facilitate the approval of 1660 petrol pumps state revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on FridayThe system is being implemented on the directives of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis he addedThe Union government has approved 1660 new petrol pumps and once operational these will create approximately 30000 jobs and attract investment of Rs 35004000 crore in Maharashtra he saidThe approval process should be completed within three months The revenue department has been tasked with developing a streamlined standard operating procedure SOP with minimal conditions and essential requirements Divisional commissioners have been instructed to issue necessary directives immediately Bawankule said in a statementThe Maharashtra government plans to set up 2000 new petrol pumps To facilitate this a single window system will be introduced at district collector offices assisting fuel companies to obtain clearances from revenue department police and Public Works Department PWD Since employment generation and investment promotion are key priorities the single window system is being launched Bawankule stated