The Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Labour and Employment has inaugurated the National Transit Pass System (NTPS). This initiative aimed at facilitating the smooth transit of timber, bamboo, and other forest produce throughout the country. A press release was issued on December 29, 2023.
The NTPS is set to replace the current system of state-specific transit permits with a unified, online “One Nation-One Pass” regime, simplifying the transportation process and contributing to the ease of doing business.
To demonstrate the functionality and ease of use of the NTPS, Pan Indian vehicles carrying forest produce have been launched. These vehicles, loaded with timber and other forest products from Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir, are en route to West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. The QR-coded transit permits generated under the NTPS will facilitate efficient verification at check gates across states, ensuring seamless transit.
The Union Minister stated that this initiative would not only streamline the transportation of timber and forest products but also incentivize the entire value chain, extending its impact beyond agroforestry and tree farming.
Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change hailed the NTPS as a game-changer for agroforestry and trees outside the forest. He highlighted its potential to enhance the ease of doing business in the sector.
Before the introduction of the NTPS, obtaining transit permits from different states was a time-consuming process, creating hurdles in transporting timber and forest products. With each state having its own transit regulations, a separate permit was required for each state. The NTPS eliminates these challenges by offering seamless transit permits for both inter-state and intra-state transportation of timber, bamboo, and other forest produce from various sources.
Designed for user convenience, the NTPS features desktop and mobile applications for easy registration and permit applications. Users can self-generate No Objection Certificates for exempted species, while 25 States and Union Territories have already embraced this unified permit system. This move is expected to significantly boost the agroforestry sector by streamlining business operations for producers, farmers, and transporters.
For more information stakeholders can access NTPS.
