Suri, Feb. 12: The Bengal government has decided to scrap from April totos purchased from unauthorised workshops and factories across the state.

In Birbhum, where around 10,000 totos ply, the decision was announced in Suri last week at a meeting attended by district officials, the regional transport officer and members of toto associations.

Officials in other districts said they, too, would announce the scrapping of unauthorised totos soon.

Sources said the government would help the existing operators buy new totos from authorised companies by giving a third of the cost of the e-rickshaw under the Gatidhara scheme.

"There are thousands of these battery-operated totos plying in Birbhum and elsewhere in the state. These totos don't have any registration or number plates or insurance. They also don't pay taxes. So, the government has taken a decision to streamline the plying of totos in the state," he added.

If a person buys a toto from an authorised dealer, he has to pay Rs 1,431 as road tax for three months.

An official pointed out that totos built by authorised companies were safer. The authorisation means a certificate from the Centre called ICAT (International Certificate for Automatic Technology).