Kerala plans for common checkpost system

Thiruvananthapuram, June 28 (UNI) Kerala Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac today said the government was examining possibilities for setting up a common checkpost system by coordinating Forest, Excise, Motor Vehicles and Sales Tax Departments in the state.

KITCO, a state governmnet undertaking, had been entrusted to make a fesibility study for setting up a common check post at Valayar instead of the existing system of separate checkposts of these departments, he told the State Assembly.

In a written reply to Mr Anathalavattom Anandan (CPI-M) and others, Dr Isaac said the government had noted that goods were being transported through roads in non-checkpost boarder areas.

The government had intensified patrolling and also appointed an intelligence squad to check the smuggling through these roads, he said.

The Finance Minister said the government had decided to give 10 per cent incentive to local self-government institutions, which helped to seize vehicles passing through these roads, from the total fine collected from these vehicles.

UNI CGV1705