Confusion over RC renewals

It is widely believed that absence of taking timely and correct decisions is reflection of poor management which results in under development of whatever hue. It is unfortunately associated in one way or the other with poor or inadequate knowledge and when decisions are not taken in sensitive matters like renewal of old vehicles having run their life of and over 15 years and those of new vehicles in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, it cannot go without associated outcomes of chaos, confusion, botheration and even harassment of hundreds of people. Can in the bureaucracy, anyone dare to be innovative and take fast timely decisions which would comfort and rid people of inconvenience as the essence of the message of the Prime Minister in taking several measures in making bureaucracy responsive to peoples’ needs could percolate down on the ground? The crux of timely decision making is the acceptance and assimilation of increased errors and mistakes, if any, and even absorbing any consequential criticism and also heat from certain quarters provided the aim was to succour and help people for whom administration, bureaucracy, governance and other endowments are really meant.
With these words as prelude to the current scenario in respect of hundreds of people suffering in respect of registration of old vehicles, we are surprised to find that no one in the Transport Department knows how much fees are to be charged from them. Six months or more have elapsed since revised fee (Token Tax) structure was announced in respect of registration of new vehicles and how much was to be charged for those vehicles having run on roads for more than 15 years as they are mandated to be renewed has not been specified. Can proverbial shooting in the dark approach be applied in matters where thousands of applications are piled up in transport offices for registration of vehicles and more getting added up leading to all round confusion and how long was this allowed to be continued? What is the problem and at which level , though explicitly is not known but what is believed is that the Finance Department has failed to take a decision in this respect and thus allowed the situation to get slipped from bad to worse.
The tools of planning, organizing, directing and controlling are playing important role in taking decisions and absence of one or more of these important tools not only incapacitates the ability of taking decisions but impair the functions of administration and we unfortunately see the same scenario in the offices of the Regional Transport Authorities where we are informed that a huge number of one hundred thousand applications have piled up in respect of registration of different categories of vehicles. The air of uncertainty , indecision, irresolution and imperceptibility is leading to sheer confusion resulting in the aggrieved vehicle owners running from pillar to post to know who would solve the puzzle.
We refer to the SRO issued last year by the Principal Secretary Transport Department vide which nine per cent of sale value of the vehicle was treated and to be charged as one time Token Tax for registration of all newly purchased vehicles but what about the ones older than 15 years and how much for what period was to be charged is still not made clear and it is not known which impediments are faced by the concerned authorities in clearing the mist. Prudence and efficient administration is all about either adhering to the hitherto existing procedure with undertaking from the vehicle owners to pay the difference or charge the enhanced rates and assure refund in case some decisions to that effect were taken as there was lot of resentment among the people desirous of purchasing new vehicles to review the decision of charging exorbitant rates at 9 per cent.
The ball is in the “court” of Finance Department and we have reports that many reminders have been sent to them and even series of meetings between the Transport Department and the Finance Department have yielded no results and even six months are considered insufficient by the Finance Department in being able to take a decision even if thousands of people suffer. This is unacceptable and unwarranted . We urge the authorities to sort out the issue within a few days looking to the fact that endurance of the suffering people is brimming.

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