Bhubaneswar: The Commerce and Transport Department of Odisha Government on Monday announced that it has decided to exempt tax on buses for August and September in view of the ongoing COVID pandemic situation.
The Commerce and Transport Department said that on account of the second wave of COVID-19, plying of inter-state buses have been stopped and on account of imposition of lockdown and weekend short down by the State Government, the normal fleet movement of intra-state and inter-state buses in the State has been affected and Government were pleased to exempt the payment of tax and additional tax of Stage/ Contract Carriages and Buses of all Educational Institutions in the State for the months of April to July, 2021.
Whereas due to non-plying of buses for a long period for restrictions during lock-down, the buses were kept idle and requires immediate repair and replacement of some parts. Moreover, due to non-plying of buses, the owners have sustained huge losses as they are to pay the loan installments, insurance premiums etc. without any earning, it added.
Considering the above difficulties faced by the bus owners, the Commerce & Transport Department has been pleased to exempt the payment of tax and additional tax of Stage/ Contract Carriages and Buses of all Educational Institutions in the State for the month of August and September, 2021.
Ms Kalinga