Date:25/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/25/stories/2008072558260400.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Three more corruption-free check-posts soon: Isaac

Special Correspondent

To be developed on the lines of Walayar check-post

T.M. Thomas Isaac says stern action will be taken against smuggling

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amaravila, Aryankavu and Muthanga will be developed on the lines of Walayar and made corruption-free check-posts this year, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac has said.

Replying to questions in the Assembly on Thursday, Dr. Isaac said that weighbridges would be set up at the check-posts and more employees would be deployed.

The government had placed orders for nine weighbridges and three had been installed. The government had held discussions with railway authorities to set up check-posts at railway stations. Stringent action would be taken to prevent smuggling of goods through byroads. After launching the corruption-free Walayar campaign, the traffic through check-posts had come down considerably.

If the number of vehicles that passed through Walayar in 2007 was 8.18 lakh, it came down to 7.24 lakh this year.

The flow of traffic through Palakkad and other check-posts had increased. It has been decided to acquire four acres of land near the Karnataka border to develop Manjeswaram check-post. It has been proposed to frame a Bill, ‘Kerala Protection of Interest of Depositors (in financial establishments) and Regulation of Money-lenders Bill, 2007,’ to protect the interests of depositors in financial institutions.

The sales tax in the State till March 31 last amounted to Rs.4,425.47 crore. The government was expecting 30 per cent hike in tax collection this year.