In our country around 5 lakh accidents take place every year and 1.5 lakh deaths occur. In world highest number of deaths due to the accidents take place in India. It is our responsibility to control these deaths and promote road safety. Due to the efforts of the State Government of Tamil Nadu, there has been 29 per cent decrease in deaths in the last two years which is a very commendable step. 40 per cent accidents take place on national highways. Our effort will be to reduce the number of deaths in the accident in our country. It is a matter of great sadness that about 65 per cent of those who die are between 18 to 3.5 years of age.
 
 We have made provisions in this bill to improve this. Strict provisions have been made for violation of rules. Legal provisions have made for good Samaritan, cashless treatment during golden hour, dangerous driving, juvenile driving. Strict rules have also been made on over speeding, talking over mobile while driving, violation of seat belt rules etc., and the provision of suspension of license is also a step in this direction. People all over the world say that the license is easily available in India. It has come to notice that 30 per cent licenses are fake. The training that should be taken, the test‘ which should be passed before getting a driving license are not being done in scientific way. We have also provided computerized testing in this regard and we are also encouraging the driving training centre. The Central Government constituted a group of Transport Ministers in 2016, it consisted ministers of 18 states. All of them had made some recommendations after studying this act. Based on those recommendations, we have prepared this "Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill".
 
 The Standing Committee also approved this. The report was submitted by the committee in February, 2017. The committee agreed on -most of the provisions of the bill‘ and gave some suggestions. Which were included in the amendments. It was sent to the Select Committee on your request. This is not a political topic. Taking into account the number of people who died due to these accidents happening in this area today, there is a great need to prevent it immediately by making a law. The Select Committee has also recommended this bill. It has also been added to give states more powers and how to strengthen their hands.
 
 At present, there is a rule in the current law that if you buy a new car, then that car has to be taken to the RTO office. Right now we are making this arrangement online. We are putting the responsibility of registration, which was earlier with the consumer, on the dealer. Rights are still with the state government. Many people said that we have talked of forming a national transport policy. Railways, Aviation and Waterways are with the Government of India, if all three are to be taken in one place, then we will have to take initiative for it. The public transport authority already exists in the state government, its act is in existence. Based on the new technology there will be a multimodal hub.
 
 Regarding the new public safety, there are many new things coming in relation to power transport, they also have to be used. For them, we have talked about making this policy._ State Government will be the stakeholders of this policy. This policy is not binding. Therefore, there is a need to improve the transportation system and development of new technology. We have an Austrian company named Doppelmeyer, which has 28 technologies.
 
 For all-these new technologies foreign loans will have to be borrowed. Almost all state transport corporations are operating in losses. Transport system of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra, Telangana and Karnataka in the south, is better than the states of North India. Without the permission of the state Government, no experiment will be made in the state. Now the bus stop will be made like airport. Crores of rupees will be required to build 2000 bus sports.
 
 It is not possible without public private investment. Yet this authority is of the state Government that what is to be done despite this policy it is their own decision. We have built a 7-storey parking plaza. Improvement in driving license has been talked about. It has the facility of online learning licenses. Identity verification will be used. Transfers in the national register will be easy. The license will be tested by the computer and the camera. Several steps have been taken to reduce the corruption of the RTO ofrrce. In ‘order to overcome the shortage of drivers and increase quality, there is also provision of training school.
 
 You can get a license anywhere in the state. Registration process is also simplifieded. You can register‘ your vehicle anywhere in the state. The matter of computerized vehicle fitness certifications has been talked about. Transfer from national register will be possible. There are no rules for Ola and Uber. In this, rules have also been made to control them. Penalty provision has been made strict. Rules have also been prepared for pedestrian and non-motorized vehicles. There is a special concern for our country's transportation system and road safety. The helmet should be worn in relation to this, the penalty of 50 rupees has been increased to 1,000 rupees. In the event of bad roads and accidents, the contractor has been made responsible.
 
 There is provision of electronic enforcement, constitution of National Road Safety Board, provision to make way for ambulances in the Bill and strict provision for not making way for ambulances have also been made. Provision has also been made to take action on the bad conditions of the road. This Bill is pending for the one year. Lakhs of the people are dying in road accidents. So I urge the House to pass this Bill as was done in Tamil Nadu to save the lives of the people all over the country.

To open a Driving Training Schools is the State subject. We have no plan to shut down these schools. There is a shortage of drivers in the country. We want to open additional driving training schools. This scheme will be run in collaboration with the State Government. Such training schools should be opened in economically backward and rural areas. I request all to A come forward to open such schools. For this, the government will grant one crore rupees. We are not giving it to any corporate. Fitness certificate is a subject of Concurrent List. More Fitness Certificates Centers should be opened. The purpose of the Driving License Amendment is to make the process of obtaining license citizen friendly.
 
 The licence issuing system has been fully computerized. Now, it will not cause irregularity. Driving licences will be issued only after passing the" driving test properly. As far as licence issuance is concerned, only the State governments have the authority to issue licences. In this Bill, the validity of the transport driving licence ‘has been increased from 3 years to 5 years. This will reduce the load of transport departments and it is in the interest of citizens. According to the National Skill Qualification Framework, we have prepared a curriculum for the training to be imparted by the recognized Driving Schools. I have written to all the State governments to ask them to give information about road safety to the children in regional languages only. We have also launched a campaign about this for creating awareness among the people. We will provide for quality training.
 
 There are 17 lakh buses in this country, of which there are 1 lakh 70 thousand buses of the government. The State government has the right to make rules in this regard. We are not closing down the Undertaking of any State government. Some States have good transport systems, but situation is different in some other States. We have formulated this policy after understanding the problems of different States. It costs 115 rupees per kilometre to run a diesel bus in Mumbai, it costs 69 rupees per kilometre to run a bus 100 percent on ethanol, whereas it costs less to run an electric air-conditioned bus. The price of bus is high. Despite the high price of bus, the best transport ‘system is in London, which is aided by the World Bank.
 
 In the London Transportation System, 9 operators buy buses with their money. The driver is employed by the operator and the conductor is employed by the Corporation. This type of transport system will increase jobs and the number of government's buses will be reduced.
 
 Public Undertakings are cash-strapped. The State government has the first right on their transport system. We do not have any interference in it, but a low-cost model like the London Transport Model can be adopted for the transport system. It is our policy to encourage public transport system based on electricity and other alternative fuels. We can prepare bio-fuel with wastes etc. and can use it to run again the discarded diesel buses. This method is low cost and pollution-free. This also increases the service life of diesel buses. Hence technology and innovation should be promoted. Now it has been conceived to build a multi-model hub. Three agencies of the Central government and one agency of the State government will set up this hub.
 
 This work will be done with the permission of the state government. Undertakings of the State governments are facing the financial constraints. If they want to buy new electric buses, then the State government has to guarantee for it. But there is a problem in it. For this, any foreign fimd with low interest can be brought. The state transport system is lacking in parking space. This leads to accidents’ on the roads. We have proposed to build a busport like an airport. I asked the transport ministers of all the States that they should first set up busports. For this, the government will provide 2.5 or 3 per cent grant for consultancy and designing. If the state government can not design this project, then the Central government can do this by investing. For this, we have prepared a portal. You can pay money to toll post through mobile and you will not need to stop your vehicle. we have also implemented Fasting.
 
 There is a proposal to start a Sky Bus of 265 seats which will runin the air from Dhaulakuan to Manesar. For this, we have created joint venture with WAPCOS and Dopplemayr. We are planning to bring the intelligent traffic system. Challaii will come automatically on violation of traffic rules.
 
 The biggest reason for road accidents is shortcoming in the road engineering. We have selected 786 places to improve road engineering. For this, about 12 thousand crore rupees have been given and now we have made a plan of 14 thousand crore‘ rupees. In the case of roads, we have also tried to reach the international parameter and standard. If there are some flaws in this regard, then we can add many things in the rules. I request the Members to pass the bill unanimously.
 
 The Minister of Road Transport And Highways And The Minister of Micro, Small And Medium Enterprises
 (Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari),