Cabinet approves Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016
04/08/2016 08:48
The union cabinet on Wednesday approved Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016, which aims to improve road safety and transport scenario in the country. In the present Motor Vehicle Act, there are 223 Sections out of which the Bill aims to amend 68 sections whereas Chapters 10 has been deleted and a Chapter 11 is being replaced with new provisions to simplify third party insurance claims and settlement process. The important provisions include increase in compensation for Hit & Run cases from Rs. 25000 to Rs 2 lakhs. It also has provision for payment of compensation upto Rs 10 lakh in road accidents fatalities. The Bill also proposes insertion of 28 new sections. The amendments mainly focus on issues relating to improving road safety, citizens’ facilitation while dealing with the Transport Department. Strengthening rural transport, last mile connectivity and public transport, automation and computerization and enabling online services. It also propose to improve the transport scenario in the country by permitting the States to grant exemptions in Stage carriage and contract carriage permits for promoting rural transport, public transport, last mile connectivity and for passenger convenience and road safety. The Bill proposes that the State Government can specify a multiplier, not less than one and not greater than ten, to be applied to each fine under this Act and such modified fine. The proposed bill proposes that the State Government can regulate the activities in a public place of pedestrians and such means of transport. Improving delivery of services to the stakeholders using e-Governance is one of the major focuses of this Bill. This include enabling online learning licenses, increasing validity period for driving licenses, doing away with the requirements of educational qualifications for transport licenses are some of the features. Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has termed the Motor vehicle (Amendment) 2016 passed by cabinet as biggest reforms in the Road Safety & transport sector. He has expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister for his guidance & Support.
04/08/2016 08:48
