JAMMU: Union Minister for Forest and Environment, Bhupender Yadav, today virtually flagged off vehicles from Srinagar carrying forest produce, using the National Transit Pass System (NTPS), for Pune, Maharashtra State and from Gandhinagar Gujrat for West Bengal under government’s ambitious initiative ‘One Nation One Transit Pass System’.
Pertinently, the innovative endeavour was part of e-governance initiatives being introduced to promote Ease of Doing Business, transparency, accountability and efficiency in government systems. ‘One Nation One Transit Pass system’ aimed to facilitate seamless and smooth transportation of timber and other Forest produce within states as well as for inter-state movement.
Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister said that this new initiative will benefit the farmers, timber traders and common people. ‘Now transporters can transport their products across India on a single permit without stopping at inter-state borders and it will help vehicles move seamlessly and reach their destinations in a shorter time. The government is taking many steps to promote development along with protecting and conserving the environment for a better quality of life for our citizens, he added.
Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ashwani Kumar Choubey and Director General of Forests & Special Secretary, Government of India were also present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, the Additional Chief Secretary, Forest, Ecology and Environment, J&K Government, Dheeraj Gupta, attended the event at Srinagar which was organized by the J&K Forest Department under the aegis of MOEFCC, Government of India. Besides, PCCF & HoFF J&K Government, Roshan Jaggi and senior officers, timber traders transporters and other stakeholders from Kashmir valley were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, Dheeraj Gupta said that the new system is people-centric and would benefit large no of timber traders, owners of Wood industries, farmers and common people.
Roshan Jaggi informed that J&K is a pioneer in the country to fully switch over to a new online system which is part of the department’s commitment to promote transparency, accountability and efficiency in working of this old grand organization. He informed that the department is taking a series of initiatives to promote livelihood avenues of local people like the new NTFP policy, waste-to-wealth activities, and Van se Jal, and Jal se Jeevan initiatives. In the last couple of months, the department has issued about 7000 transport permits/NoCs under the new NTPS system.
