The Maharashtra government has rejected the Opposition's allegation about charging a high fee for high-security registration plates, citing that the prices were on par with the other states. In a statement issued late on Friday evening, the government said due process was followed while awarding tenders for the registration plates, and a high-power committee had approved the rates.
The opposition parties, NCP and Congress, on Friday, wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis demanding a probe into the contracts awarded to companies for HSRPs.
HSRPs are licence plates designed to curb theft and other fraudulent activities related to vehicle identification through enhanced security features.
The government has made HSRPs mandatory for vehicles registered before April 1, 2019. It extended the deadline to fit HSRPs till April 30.
As per the government's statement, the Transport Commissioner's Office issued orders for the fees based on the rates approved by the committee, and the charges include number plates and fitment charges.
The government claimed that in other states, the HSRP rates excluding GST ranged between Rs 420-480 for two-wheelers, Rs 450-550 for three-wheelers and Rs 690-800 for four-wheelers and heavy vehicles.
It pointed out that in Maharashtra, the charges excluding GST were Rs 450 for two-wheelers, Rs 500 for three-wheelers and Rs 745 for four-wheelers and heavy vehicles.
State Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal and NCP state chief Jayant Patil have written separate letters to the chief minister, accusing the government of charging an exorbitant fee, and have sought a probe into the contracts awarded to companies for HSRPs.
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