Expressing concern at growing number of fatal road accidents in the country and Punjab, State’s Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has written a letter to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh requesting income tax exemption for industry , corporate houses, NGO’s and media investing in the road safety programmes approved by the government in the forthcoming Union budget for the Financial year 2012-13.
Chief Minister in his letter has urged the Prime Minister to forward suitable directions to Ministry of Finance to include Income tax exemption for road safety investments on the lines of concessions extended under provision of section 82 of the proposed Direct Tax Code for incentives to companies spending on promotion of family planning and prevention of HIV-AIDS as also similar provisions available under section 80GGA of Income Tax Act 1961 in respect of certain donations for scientific research or rural development to an assesse.
Badal in his letter has said “India has reported the highest number of road fatalities among all countries in the world. In 2010, there were about 1.33 lakh deaths and 5 lakh injuries on Indian roads. These numbers translate economic loss to the tune of Rs 1,00,000 crore every year. Improved road design and a focus on pedestrian safety, safer vehicles, motorcycle helmets, seat belts, action on drink driving, driver training and licensing and tackling speed, better road engineering, regular road audits, making road safety part of school curriculum can help reduce fatal road accidents”Mr Badal stressed.
Mr Badal lauding the role of International Road Federation (IRF) promoting road safety world wide and supporting the United Nation’s Decade of Action plan for Road Safety across the world aiming to reduce road fatalities by 50% by the year 2020 urged the PM to also direct the planning commission to include the UN programme in the 12th Five year plan for urgent implementation and putting in place a strong monitoring mechanism to check road deaths.
International Road Federation (IRF) Chairman, K.K.Kapila, first Indian to be elected to head the Geneva based global body appreciated Mr Badal’s concern for road fatalities said Punjab is first government to take such imnititive in the country. He informed FICCI, CII and other state Chief mInitser’s are also planning to write to Union Government for such exemption in the coming budget.