In an attempt to bring down the soaring air ticket price the state government has decided to reduce the VAT on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) to 1 percent. The council of ministers in its meeting on Tuesday resolved to lessen ATF charge from 16 to 1 percent, said Information and Cultural Affairs minister Sushanta Chowdhury.
This is big reduction and huge relief for the air passengers of the state. The significance can very well be gauged from the fact that in West Bengal, the ATF charge is 25 percent and in Assam it is 23.65 percent. Now in Tripura it will be only 1 per cent.
Chowdhury, said decision would incur loss of Rs. 1.67 crore per year but it will bring down the air ticket fare in different routes including Agartala-Kolkata and Agartala-Guwahati.
He said, the number of flights is less in the states where the tax on ATF is high (except international airports). Now, the number of flights would increase, he said.
“In Tripura, the international airport will start functioning very soon and then the air service will be expanded with movement of international flights. As per reduction in the ATF charge, the flight ticket price will come down and the number of flights will increase,” Chowdhury said.
Apart from that the cabinet also approved recruitment in various posts under the Law department.
The council of ministers approved creation of total 53 new posts in the District and Sessions Court, Khowai under the Law department, Chowdhury told the media.
The posts included- Chief Administrative cum Accountants Officer (1), Senior Sheristadar (1), Office Superintendent (1), Head Clerk (6), Stenographer (6), UDC (6), LDC (9), Driver Gr-C (3), Duplicating Operator (1), Record Arranger (1), Process Server (2) and 15 Group-D posts for peon and guards, he said, adding that the Law department would finalize the modalities for recruitment in such posts within next few days.
Besides, the cabinet cleared creation of eight posts for the Court No-5 in the establishment of the High Court of Tripura. The posts included secretary to the Chief Justice and Judges (1), Restorer (1), Jamadar (2), Cook (2) and Cleaning Assistant (2), he added.
