Bhubaneswar: Following protests by Orissa Mini-Truck Owners’ Association, the state government has decided to revise the ceiling on maximum freight tariff fixed for transportation of minerals in five districts.
“The mini-truck owners’ association had protested against the freight tariff fixed for mineral transportation in five districts. They say the tariff fixed is no longer feasible for them and that they are incurring losses. Considering their problems, we have decided to revise the tariff,” said transport and commerce minister Ramesh Majhi here Thursday.
The minister said the transport commissioner has been instructed to hold a meeting with the collectors of five districts and representatives of the mini-truck owners’ association to revise the tariff soon.
To rein in allegedly exorbitant sums charged by the truck owners to transport minerals, the state government had fixed the maximum freight rates in Angul, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts. As per the existing tariff structure, the maximum freight rate for six-wheeler goods carriers for one-way distance above 50 km is Rs 6.40 per tonne per km while that for 10-wheeler goods carriers is Rs 5.10 per tonne per km. The rate for 12-wheeler goods carriers is Rs 4.10 per tonne per km.
For transportation of minerals within 50 km, owners of six-wheelers can charge a maximum of Rs 36.4 per km plus Rs 1,220 while the freight ceiling for 10-wheelers is Rs 51.3 per km plus Rs 1,390.For 12-wheelers, the freight ceiling is Rs 55.7 per km plus Rs 1,620.
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