NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday approved a ₹9,585-crore incentive scheme to replace old trucks and buses in Delhi-NCR with cleaner vehicles, aiming to reduce air pollution and promote cleaner mobility.
The two-year scheme targets vehicles compliant with BS-IV or earlier emission norms and encourages their replacement with BS-VI or electric vehicles. It will be funded through the National Capital Region planning board under the ministry of housing and urban affairs and implemented by the ministries of road transport and highways and petroleum and natural gas in coordination with Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Of the total outlay, ₹5,041 crore will be provided by the Centre, while participating states are expected to extend about ₹1,601 crore in tax concessions. The scheme is estimated to benefit around 2.07 lakh vehicle owners, including 1.91 lakh trucks and 16,329 buses.
“By accelerating the transition to cleaner transport technologies, the scheme is expected to significantly reduce vehicular emissions and contribute to improved air quality across the Delhi–NCR region,” the government said in a statement.
Under the scheme, the Centre will offer a five per cent interest subvention on loans for five years, monthly fuel vouchers of up to ₹4,800 based on vehicle category, and lumpsum incentives for electric vehicle purchases or certificate of deposit trading.
State governments will waive registration fees and provide up to 100 per cent motor vehicle tax concessions for new vehicles and 50 per cent for used vehicles for a period of 10 years. They will also waive pending liabilities on old vehicles covered under the scheme.
Automobile manufacturers will offer an eight per cent discount on ex-showroom prices. The scheme will be implemented through a digital portal for eligibility checks, disbursal of benefits and monitoring of emission reduction.
An empowered committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary will oversee implementation, with senior officials from relevant ministries and States as members. District collectors and magistrates will supervise execution at the local level.
The benefits will continue for five years from the registration of new vehicles, extending the impact beyond the enrolment period.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
