NEW DELHI: Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari lashed out at the "corrupt RTO association lobby" saying they are preventing the
Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill, which targets both a reduction in corruption and road deaths, from becoming a law.
"Our proposed law is aimed at making roads safe and to root out corruption in this sector. We have made no provision that will end the power of the state governments. I am talking to all political parties and I can also give it in writing that there will be no dilution in the states' powers," Gadkari told reporters outside Parliament.
This is not the first time when Gadkari has slammed RTOs. On earlier occasions he had raised the issue of "Lakshmi Darshan", common man parlance for paying bribe in Maharashtra.
Speaking to TOI , the minister said, "It's a huge tragedy for any nation that loses 1.5 lakh lives annually and more than half of them are in their young age. In most cases families are ruined and pushed to poverty. I have requested political parties to support the bill to save lives, reduce injuries and the tragedy."
Though the bill was introduced during this session, the opposition parties have moved more than a dozen amendments, which forced the government to defer the discussion and passage of the bill.
The proposed amendments by the members from political parties including DMK, AIADMK, Congress, Trinamool Congress primarily focuses on doing away with provision for registration of vehicles at dealers' end, retaining the power of RTOs, no role of central government in making the National Transport Policy and retaining exclusive rights of the State Road Transport Corporations rather than relaxing norms to bring greater competition in bus service.
While majority of the amendments moved by DMK seeks to retain the focus on SRTCs, it's rival AIADMK has moved amendments for retaining the authority of RTOs.
