The Union Ministry for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation has committed financial assistance of Rs 2130.91 crore for 40 housing and infrastructure projects to Goa, the State Member of Parliament Shantaram Naik was informed by the Union Minister. The total cost of the project was around Rs 2853.72 crore. In a written reply to Naik, Union Minister Girija Vyas said that the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) has provided financial assistance for various categories of housing and infrastructure sector projects in Goa. She said that HUDCO has released loan amount of Rs 261.79 crore for these projects based on the documentation and physical progress achieved. HUDCO is committed to fund the projects of Council of scientific and Industrial Research, Economic Development Corporation, Housing Board, Goa State Infrastructure Development, Mormugao Port, Goa Port Trust, Corportaion of the city of Panaji, Public Works Department, Sewerage and Infrastructure Development Corporation, she said. Meanwhile, in yet another reply, the Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways has said that the Ministry on May 16, had issued an advisory to the Goa government to withdraw undue levy of taxes /fee including the Entry Tax for facilitating inter-state seamless movement of goods carriage as envisaged under the New National Permit System introduced by the Government of India. State government is currently charging Rs 1,000 per truck, Rs 500 for tempo, Rs 250 for four-wheeler and Rs 100 for three-wheeler as entry tax for vehicles arriving from other states. The BJP-government in April had imposed entry tax on the vehicles entering the State. The move was strongly opposed by transporters who had even halted the supply of essential commodities to Goa for almost a week. Following government assurance of concessional pass schemes to the vehicles entering state for economic purpose, the strike was withdrawn. Even after several deadline, the concessional pass scheme has not been introduced.