Centre asks states to facilitate exemptions to vehicles owned by differently-abled persons

The Centre has asked states and Union territories to extend various exemptions and reliefs provided in respect to Invalid Carriage Vehicles to vehicles owned by the differently-abled, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said on Friday.

The move is aimed at facilitating the movement of the physically challenged.

"In order to further facilitate the divyangjan, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued advisory to state/UTs to extended various exemptions/facilitation/relief provided by the states /UTs in respect of Invalid Carriage Vehicles to vehicles owned by Divyangjan," MoRTH said in a statement.

As per the definition by the Motor Vehicles Act, an invalid carriage means a motor vehicle specially designed and constructed, and not merely adapted, for the use of a person suffering from some physical defect or disability, and used solely by or for such a person.

Last month, the government notified amendments to the motor vehicle rules for clearly incorporating ownership details in registration documents for facilitating the movement of physically challenged persons.

The step was taken after it was brought to the notice of the ministry that the ownership details are not properly reflected in various forms under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules required for registration of motor vehicles.

Under the amended forms, ownership details will be captured under categories like the autonomous body, central government, charitable trust, driving training school, divyangjan, educational institute, local authority, multiple owners, and police department.

Further, benefits of GST and other concessions are being provided to the divyangjan (physically challenged persons) under various schemes of the government for the purchase, ownership and operation of motor vehicles.

According to the current details under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR ) 1989, the ownership type does not reflect the details of divyangjan.

It becomes difficult for such citizens to properly avail of various benefits under government schemes like the benefits to divyangjan as per the scheme for financial incentives of the Department of Heavy Industries.