States should implement high security number plates: Centre

The government today said though it had amended the central motor vehicles rules in March 2001 for High Security Registration Plates (HSRP), it is primarily the responsibility of states to ensure its implementation.

"States should ensure issuance of tenders inviting firms which can fit such kind of registration plates. Centre had issued guidelines and initiated dialogues with states and now they should take up the matter for implementation," Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways R P N Singh said in Rajya Sabha.

Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, he said the Centre had not at any point of time, given specifications that only companies having experience in making such plates abroad, should come forward to manufacture them.

"The ministry has not given any such specification. In fact some states had come up with the idea that companies having experience of manufacturing HSRPs abroad, should be invited to do so here," he added.

HSRPs contain various security features which would make removal, tampering or counterfeiting of such plates difficult. Some of the features are also available in the registration plates used in many other countries.