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The Karnataka Transport Department has collected an astonishing ₹421.13 crore in green tax over the past five years. However, only ₹51.66 crore—just 12%—has been allocated for environmental conservation and sustainable transport, raising concerns over fund mismanagement.
The green tax, meant to discourage old, polluting vehicles, applies to non-transport vehicles older than 15 years and transport vehicles over seven years. Two-wheeler owners pay ₹250, personal vehicle owners ₹500, and commercial vehicles ₹200 annually. Despite a steady revenue flow, the state’s expenditure on green initiatives has been alarmingly low.
Massive Collection, Negligible Spending
In 2021-22, the government collected ₹91.31 crore but allocated a mere ₹8.95 crore. The highest allocation came in 2022-23 when only ₹22.82 crore was spent out of ₹70.08 crore collected. This raises serious concerns over the actual usage of the funds meant for environmental conservation.
A senior transport official attempted to justify the spending, stating, “Various awareness campaigns have also been undertaken under this initiative.” However, no specific details were provided regarding how the funds were utilized.
Experts Raise Alarm Over Green Tax Utilization
Transport expert M.N. Srihari criticized the government, highlighting the clear disparity between tax collection and fund allocation. “If the government is serious about tackling pollution and promoting clean transportation, a higher proportion of the collected revenue must be invested in infrastructure, electric vehicle incentives, and pollution control measures,” he emphasized.
Despite repeated claims of environmental concern, the Karnataka government has failed to channel the green tax revenue into meaningful sustainability efforts. Instead, the green tax appears to be just another bureaucratic mechanism for revenue collection rather than a tool for environmental betterment.
Green Tax at Risk of Becoming a Scam?
With such a stark difference between funds collected and those actually spent, experts and citizens are questioning the integrity of the scheme. Unless the Karnataka government ensures transparency and commits to utilizing the funds for their intended purpose, the green tax risks becoming another failed policy under the guise of environmental protection.
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