Centre amends excise duty concession for disabled

BREAKTHROUGH: It was not easy to fight single handedly for a cause which involved three different ministries. But if there is a will, there is a way. When TOI first broke the story, a section of so called armchair facebook activists complained that few people are getting excise duty concession. Few people! After a 5 month advocacy with Department of Heavy industries, here is the policy change. Customers with disabilities DO NOT need manufacturer certificate now. They are free from the harassment of Maruti Suzuki (who discriminates on right and leg left disabled despite losing a case in High Court of Rajasthan). One has to get only a RTO certificate NOW and the benefit extends to a disabled person driving an automatic transmission, retrofitted vehicle or one using assistive devices. Please spread the word and know your rights.

Full Times Of India report:

Manash Pratim Gohain| May 26, 2016, 01.03 AM IST

New Delhi: The Centre has amended the guidelines for excise duty concession to disabled people for buying vehicles . A notification in this regard was issued by the ministry of heavy industries on April 21 and May 2.

The new guidelines have also done away with the manufacturer's certificate necessary for availing the concession; a certificate by the district road transport officer would now suffice.

TOI had reported on April 4 how Maruti Suzuki India Ltd had denied the concession to Dr Satendra Singh, a teacher at University College of Medical Sciences, on the grounds that it's allowed only in the case of a left-leg disability. Singh was disabled in the right leg.

The Gazette of India notification stated, "...it has further been decided that the requirement of manufacturer certificate from OEMs in case of retrofitment of vehicles, after purchase, shall be dispensed with. Instead the certificate from district road transport officer, as per annexure, would be sufficient for applying to this department."

An addendum was issued on May 2 on the annexure of the 'certificate to be issued' that added "auto transmission or which has been retrofitted or his/her disability has been addressed by prosthetic means". This was done so that no disabled buyers are harassed.

Gazette notification: http://enablingunit.yolasite.com/excise.php

Also Read:

Only left is right: Why disabled drivers miss discount trip. 4 April 2016.Times of India.