THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: A day after the State cabinet deferred a decision on implementation of new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho on Thursday said the State will introduce the Act with bare minimum fines as proposed by the Centre.
The moves comes after Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari ruled out every possibility of reducing the hefty fines proposed under the Act against the violators of MV rules.
Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of another event, Godinho said the matter was placed before the Cabinet for the fourth time and the decision on its implementation was deferred yet again.
“Now what we are trying to do is go to the minimum of minimum fines that the Center has proposed in the Act. We have decided to go to bare minimum fines as permitted by the Center,” he said.
The Minister said that once the quantum of fines is finalised, the file will be again put up before the Cabinet for a decision on implementation.
Responding to poor road conditions, Godinho said, “Every monsoon the roads are washed away not just in Goa but across India. This does not mean we should not bring in force a new law.”
Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Wednesday had said that the decision on implementation of MV Act will be taken after consultation with stakeholders.
The amended MV Act has been a bone of contention in many States, as the hefty amount of the fines, which go up to Rs 25,000, have been termed unjust. In Goa too, the Act has been opposed by various sections including politicians.
The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 is being implemented in the country since September 1, 2019. This new act has increased the fine for many offences to check road accidents and improve the road safety in the country.
