SHILLONG, March 15 - Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has informed the Assembly that the State Government has taken a serious view on reports of fake challans issued for mineral transportation and so security features are being incorporated in these challans.
Replying to a Call Attention Motion moved by Opposition Congress member, PT Sawkmie, the Chief Minister said recently, a committee has been constituted to look into incorporation of security features in the mineral transportation challans.
The challans with the security features would include QR codes, bar codes and other security features to reduce duplicity and fake challans. With regards to issuance of fake challans, Sangma said that whenever such reports are received the department files complaints and FIRs so that the guilty persons are booked.
The Chief Minister said that over a period of five years from 2014, there have been at least 1,173 registered cases involving illegal transportation of minerals in the State.
Giving out the details of such cases, he said that in 2014, 203 cases were registered, in 2015: 541, 2016: 117, 2017: 279 and in 2018: 163 cases of illegal transportation of minerals were registered. He informed the House that all such cases would come down when the issuance of challan is automated. Sangma added that the three departments � Mines and Minerals, Forest and Transport � are being sensitised so that the new technology can work seamlessly in these departments. The Chief Minister further said during a Zero Hour Notice raised by Sawkmie that the Government would raise the issue of exempting tribals from the State to pay Income Tax when they are working outside the schedule areas.
He said that although the issue is outside the purview of discussion of the House, however the same can be taken up with the Central Government so that tribals from the State could be exempted from paying Income Tax when they are working outside the State in non-scheduled areas.
Sangma further said that as of now the Income Tax rules state that tribals are exempted to pay Income Tax when working in the State, but are taxable when they work outside the State.
