CAG flags irregular school bus permits in 8 Assam districts
The audit also detected significant deficiencies where only 26,105 permits were issued against 1,19,369 registered vehicles during the period 2019-24
A file image of school bus from Assam (Picture used for representational purpose only) (Source: @ishavidhya / X)
Guwahati, Feb 21: Violating the laid down norms, the State Transport department authorities had issued contract carriage permits instead of Educational Institution Bus (EIB) permits in eight districts of Assam, including Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Kokrajhar, Udalguri, Biswanath Chariali, Sribhumi, Kamrup (Metro) and Dima-Hasao, during the period of 2019-24.
The fact was revealed in the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India report on State Revenues for the period 2023-24, which was laid by the State government in the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
“School buses across eight districts (2019-24) were issued contract carriage permits instead of EIB permits resulting in the bypassing of mandatory fitness tests, thereby defeating the purpose of EIB permits, which are specifically designed to ensure enhanced safety standards for school transportation. The absence of recorded reasons for this deviation raises concerns about regulatory lapses and possible procedural irregularities by the DTOs,” the CAG report stated.
Citing the Transport department as the fourth-largest revenue-generating department of Assam, the performance audit on “Functioning of District Transport Offices” also identified systematic inefficiencies, regulatory non-compliance and revenue leakage across critical operational domains of the department.
The audit also detected significant deficiencies in issuance of transport vehicle permits in these eight districts, where only 26,105 permits were issued against 1,19,369 registered vehicles during the period 2019-24.
“The lack of stringent permit enforcement led to revenue losses, regulatory gaps, and proliferation of unregulated commercial transport operations,” the CAG report read.
The CAG, in its report, recommended creation of proper infrastructure for driving test for granting driving licenses as well as for fitness test for issuance of fitness certificates for vehicles, proper monitoring of granting and renewal of licenses to the driving schools and the Pollution Testing Centres, stricter control on the permit, fitness and safety measures for the buses of educational institutions and introduction of a system where outstanding tax, fine, fitness test, pollution control test, insurance, permits, etc., can be linked to each other for better compliance.
The CAG report also noted that the exponential increase in the number of vehicles in Assam has outpaced Transport department’s workforce capacity, with vacancy ranging from 30 per cent to 57 per cent, adversely impacting enforcement capabilities.