Assam Introduces Online Transit Pass System For Timber Transportation

The Assam government has introduced an online transit pass system for timber transportation as part of a broader initiative to curb illegal timber trade, improve transparency, and prevent revenue leakages. The announcement was made by Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah after chairing a joint review meeting of officials from the Forest and GST departments on Tuesday. The meeting focused on strengthening coordination between the two departments to ensure better monitoring of forest produce and enhance the state's revenue collection through improved compliance.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, Baruah said forest royalty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) are closely interconnected, making cooperation between the Forest and Tax departments essential. Officials from districts bordering Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Nagaland also participated in the discussions, with special emphasis placed on improving surveillance of timber and other forest produce entering Assam from neighbouring states. The minister said the government has directed officials to work jointly to eliminate revenue leakages while ensuring greater accountability in the movement of forest resources.

To simplify procedures for legitimate traders, the state has developed an online platform that allows transit passes to be generated using GST details. According to the minister, the digital system is designed to reduce unnecessary hurdles for businesses that comply with royalty payments and tax regulations while enabling authorities to maintain stricter oversight of illegal activities. He reiterated that the government's objective is to encourage legal timber trade through a transparent and technology-driven mechanism without compromising enforcement against illegal operations.

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Highlighting recent enforcement efforts, Baruah said the Forest Department has intensified its crackdown on illegal timber trade and unauthorized sawmills across the state over the past week. He asserted that illegal tree felling poses a serious threat to Assam's forest cover and reaffirmed the government's commitment to shutting down unlawful timber operations. While legal businesses will continue to function under the new transparent system, he stressed that illegal logging and timber smuggling will not be tolerated under any circumstances as part of the state's environmental protection strategy.

The minister also announced a major conservation initiative aimed at preserving Assam's indigenous fruit tree species, including mango, Burmese grape, star fruit, Ceylon olive, and pomelo, many of which are gradually disappearing. The Forest Department plans to establish nurseries to raise one crore indigenous fruit saplings this year, with plantation scheduled to begin from April next year. Addressing the growing challenge of human-elephant conflict, Baruah said expanding forest cover remains the most sustainable long-term solution. He added that the government will also explore immediate measures by consulting MLAs during the upcoming Assembly session to identify practical solutions for conflicts involving elephants and monkeys in affected areas.

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