When CM drives auto rickshaw

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu drove an autorickshaw by sporting Khaki shirt near his residence on Saturday. He did this when autorickshaw drivers met him to thank him for exempting them from paying life tax. Naidu said that he is also a driver, steering the state on the development path.

Addressing the auto drivers, he said as a first driver of the state, he exempted life tax payable under AP Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1963 in respect of three-wheeled contract carriages (passenger auto rickshaws) with a seating capacity of four, five, six and seven-seaters. In all, three-wheeled goods carriages up to the gross vehicle weight of 3000 kgs and tractors and tractor-trailers used for the agricultural purpose were waived from paying cumulative arrears of motor vehicle tax.

The Chief Minister said that he took the decision to protect the interest of auto drivers despite an additional burden of Rs 141 cr to the government exchequer. He said as a result of the decision over 9.79 lakh auto drivers including 5.66 passenger autos will get the benefit. In addition, farmers having 1.82 tractors and 1.45 tractor trailers will get tax remission.

He said that all the autorickshaws will be upgraded as electric vehicles in future. He asked the autorickshaw drivers to form as a union and he is ready to solve their demands. He said that he is planning to reduce the fuel tax too.

Naidu in the recent past has doubled pensions given to ten different categories of beneficiaries including that of senior citizens. He also issued orders to deposit Rs 10,000 to each women member of the self-help groups under “Pasupu Kumkuma” scheme. However, the opposition YSRC Party has charged the CM with copying their schemes that they were intending to implement after winning the elections.