In a major relief for private bus operators affected by the Covid-induced lockdown, the Odisha government on Thursday announced exemption of Motor Vehicle (MV) Tax for the month of July, 2021. Earlier, the tax was exempted from April to June, 2021.
“The Commerce and Transport Department in exercise of powers conferred under Section 15(1) of the Odisha Motor Vehicle Taxation (OMVT) Act, 1975 have 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 July, 2021,” read a notification issued by the Commerce and Transport Department.
The order issued by the transport department Principal Secretary said the plying of inter-state buses had stopped on account of imposition of lockdown and weekend shutdown by the State Government during the second wave of COVID-19. The restrictions affected the normal fleet of intra-state and inter-state buses in the State. Therefore, the government had earlier exempted the payment of tax and additional tax of Stage/ Contract Carriages and Buses of all Educational Institutions in the State for the month of April, May and June, 2021.
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The fresh tax relief for private bus operators came hours after the State government allowed intra-state public transport by buses throughout the State as part of graded unlocking process. However, Inter-State public transport by buses shall remain suspended till 6 AM of August 1, 2021. Besides, public transport by buses to Puri town shall remain suspended till midnight of July 25,2021 .