Chandigarh STA failed to achieve targets in 2021-23: Audit report

The UT’s principal director of audit, in a report, has flagged that the State Transport Authority (STA) of the UT administration has failed to achieve its targets in the past two financial years.

The STA generates revenue from registration fees of commercial vehicles, issuance of fitness certificates, permit fees, and challans of commercial vehicles.

According to the report, the UT administration’s finance department set revenue receipt targets for the STA at ₹64 crore for the financial year 2021-22 and ₹70 crore for 2022-23.

During the inspection of STA records, it was noticed that the department could not meet the required targets. In the financial year 2021-22, the department achieved only ₹30.61 crore out of the targeted ₹64 crore, resulting in a shortfall of ₹33.39 crore (52%). Similarly, in 2022-23, the department managed to achieve only ₹40.53 crore out of its target of ₹70 crore, resulting in a shortfall of ₹29.47 crore (42%).

When the revenue shortfall was pointed out, the department replied that it was due to non-registration of vehicles and non-renewal of permit fees.

RK Garg, who obtained the audit report under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, said it is a huge financial loss to the department and that the responsibility of officials should be fixed.

During the inspection of records, it was also noticed that road tax amounting to ₹28.35 lakh was not realised from 270 commercial vehicles over the financial years 2021-23. Out of this amount, ₹18.26 lakh was not deposited by the owners of 225 goods vehicles, ₹40,800 by the owners of four tourist vehicles, and ₹9.68 lakh by the owners of 41 private service vehicles.

Further, during the checking of records, it was noticed that permit fees amounting to ₹6.79 lakh for 678 commercial vehicles was also not realised during these years. Of the total amount, ₹3.97 lakh was not deposited by the owners of 100 goods vehicles, ₹52,220 fell short from the owners of 373 auto-rickshaws (passenger), ₹67,760 remained not deposited by the owners of 154 motor and maxi cabs, and ₹1.61 lakh remained unpaid by the owners of 51 private service vehicles.

When the audit raised these issues, the department stated that these vehicles have been blacklisted on the Vahan portal and will be challaned if found operating on the road.