Govt announces annual FASTag pass for ₹3,000, effective August 15

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday announced the introduction of a FASTag-based annual pass.
In a post on X, Gadkari said the pass, which will be priced at ₹3,000, is being introduced to promote hassle-free highway travel and will come into effect starting August 15.
The minister said the pass will be valid for a year from the date of activation or up to 200 trips, whichever comes first. The pass has been designed exclusively for non-commercial private vehicles such as cars, jeeps, and vans, the minister added.
Gadkari said the annual pass aims to ensure seamless and cost-effective travel across national highways throughout the country and aims to address long-standing concerns related to toll plazas that are located within a 60 km range. It will simplify toll payments via a single, affordable transaction.
The annual pass aims to deliver a faster and smoother travel experience for millions of private vehicle owners by minimising wait times, easing congestion, and bringing down disputes at toll plazas, the minister stated.
The annual pass will be made available through the Rajmarg Yatra mobile application and on the official websites of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). A dedicated link for its activation and renewal will soon be rolled out for the users ahead of its launch.
Currently, commuters who frequently pass through a toll plaza can obtain a monthly pass by submitting their relevant documents. The monthly pass is made available for ₹340 a month, totalling ₹4,080 annually.
Earlier this year, Gadkari hinted at developing plans for car owner passes. Earlier, in February this year, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) clarified that the new norms for FASTag transactions will not impact the experience of the users on highway toll plazas.
The clarification was issued after the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems, introduced a new regulation with regard to delayed transactions due to inactive FASTags at toll plazas. The rules came into effect on February 17.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Indian Express

37 minutes ago

• Indian Express

Labelling ASEAN countries as China's ‘B-team' unwarranted, insulting: Congress

The Congress on Friday hit out at Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal for his remarks against the India-ASEAN trade agreements, signed under the UPA government, saying labelling these countries as 'B team of China' is 'irresponsible and insulting'. Speaking at the India Global Forum (IGF) session in London, Goyal said, 'There was a point of time 15 years ago when we were more focused on doing FTAs with countries who were our competitors. So if I am doing an ASEAN agreement, it really is silly because (that is) opening up my market to my competitors, many of whom have now become the B team of China.' 'So effectively and indirectly, I have opened up my market for goods that find their way from China into India,' Goyal had said. Sharma, a former Union Commerce Minister, Friday said in a statement, 'Piyush Goyal's statement terming the Trade agreement with ASEAN as silly and labelling these countries as B team of China is irresponsible and insulting.' He said India and ASEAN countries 'have been engaged in a multifaceted relationship for over three decades' which is 'mutually rewarding and important'. 'This is an integral part of the Look East policy to deepen and diversify India's relations with a region economically vibrant and of enormous geostrategic importance…' 'The Commerce Minister should be prioritising strengthening trade relations with partner countries and not insulting them while bending backwards to negotiate a suboptimal trade agreement with US on its terms,' he added.

Time of India

an hour ago

• Time of India

Punjab ranks 2nd after Chandigarh in Performance Grading Index

Jalandhar: Punjab has distinguished itself in the Union ministry of education's recently released Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 for 2022-23 and 2023-24. While bracketed with nine other states, Punjab's scores are second only to topper Chandigarh for both academic years. The state, however, leads the crucial 'learning outcomes' domain, though this data is derived from the National Achievement Survey-2021. Chandigarh holds the second position in this category. The PGI 2.0 evaluates the performance of states and UTs across 70 indicators, categorised into six key domains: learning outcomes, access, infrastructure and facilities, equity, governance process, and teacher education and training. Punjab registered overall scores of 614.1 for 2022-23 and 631.2 for 2023-24. In comparison, Chandigarh's scores were 687.8 in 2022-23, rising to 703.0 in 2023-24. Punjab also outperformed Delhi for both years, with the capital scoring 579.3 in 2022-23 and 623.7 in 2023-24. 'Learning Outcomes' crucial domain The report points out that 'learning outcomes' is perhaps the most important domain and is the ultimate objective of the index. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo Punjab scored 113.4, followed by Chandigarh with 103.6. "For 20 indicators related to the learning outcomes domain and equity domain, data is drawn from NAS 2021," the report mentions. The report further mentions that unlike other domains, relatively easier to comply with, improving learning outcomes takes time and patience. "All other domains support learning outcomes and ultimately converge towards it. In this domain, all the indicators covered are measured via the NAS," the report says. Mixed progress in other domains A comparison of 2022-23 and 2023-24 shows that in the other four domains, Punjab's scores improved in infrastructure and facilities (+13), governance performance (+2), and teachers training and training (+4), but in one year, its score fell in access (-2). Performance of the domain 'access' is measured through enrolment, retention of students, transition of students to the next grade, identification, and mainstreaming of out-of-school children. Punjab was in the 22nd position when the Performance Grading Index started in 2017-18, and in 2018-19, it improved to the 13th position. The state was at the top in the PG Index 2019-20 released in June 2021. In the PG Index 2020-21, Punjab was once again among the top performers and attained level II along with six other states, while Delhi could get in Level III with 29 overall marks less than Punjab. For the third consecutive year in 2021-22, Punjab was at number two in the overall performance with 647.4 scores, while Chandigarh was at the top with 659 scores. BOX 'Learning Outcomes' data from Amarinder's tenure As the data for 'Learning Outcome', the most significant domain, has been taken from NAS-2021, this performance pertains to Captain Amarinder Singh's tenure as chief minister. During this time, then education secretary Krishan Kumar spearheaded reforms, with the full political backing of Amarinder. Krishan remained at the helm of the department for over four-and-a-half years, and within days after Amarinder lost his chair in Sept 2021, the former was moved to the higher education department. MSID:: 121977911 413 |

India Gazette

2 hours ago

• India Gazette

"90s decade proves who misused public money": Chirag Paswan slams RJD

Patna (Bihar) [India], June 20 (ANI): Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Friday slammed RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and dismissed his claims of state administration 'forcibly' gathering people for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally, saying the RJD had no moral ground to speak of public welfare. 'The 90s decade proves who misused the public money. The 90s were a decade in which the people of Bihar had to leave their homes, villages, and businesses and leave Bihar.' He emphasised that under the current administration, there has been a positive shift. 'Gradually, reverse migration has started in Bihar. Around 25 lakh people have returned to Bihar after COVID-19... This is a double-engine government, not a jungle-raj...' Meanwhile, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha hailed PM Modi's visit to Siwan as a momentous occasion. 'It was a very historic way people welcomed and greeted the Prime Minister was tremendous... this is a historic day for the people of Bihar,' said Deputy CM. Apart from this, in a swift rebuttal Bihar Minister Ashok Choudhary also questioned the credibility of Tejashwi's claims, saying, 'Is it Lalu Prasad Yadav's regime that the professors are not getting salaries? Has any government employee claimed that they are not getting their salaries? Tejashwi Yadav should reveal who is providing him with such information... In the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, Tejashwi Yadav will face a defeat greater than that experienced by Lalu Prasad Yadav.' Notably, PM Modi during his visit to Siwan on Friday flagged off a state-of-the-art locomotive built at the Marhowra Plant, for export to the Republic of Guinea, under the 'Make in India' initiative. The plant became the first export locomotive manufactured in this factory. They are equipped with high-horsepower engines, advanced AC propulsion systems, microprocessor-based control systems, and ergonomic cab designs, incorporating technologies like regenerative braking. PM also flagged off the Vande Bharat Express between Patliputra and Gorakhpur via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah. (ANI)