GUWAHATI: The Union Cabinet has approved a two-year scheme aimed at reducing air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region by encouraging the replacement of older, high-emission trucks and buses with cleaner vehicles.
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The scheme, with a total financial outlay of ₹9,585 crore, will be funded through the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and implemented by the Ministries of Road Transport and Highways and Petroleum and Natural Gas. It will be carried out in partnership with the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Under the programme, owners of trucks and buses registered in Delhi-NCR that comply with BS-IV or older emission norms will be encouraged to replace their vehicles with BS-VI-compliant or electric vehicles. The Centre expects the move to significantly reduce vehicular emissions and improve air quality across the region.
According to the press release issued by the Cabinet, the transport sector contributes substantially to pollution in Delhi-NCR, with trucks and buses accounting for a disproportionately high share of particulate matter emissions despite representing a small fraction of the vehicle fleet. Studies have shown that older heavy-duty vehicles emit several times more pollutants than newer BS-VI-compliant vehicles.
For BS-III and older vehicles, scrapping through registered vehicle scrapping facilities will be mandatory. BS-IV vehicles may either be scrapped or sold outside the NCR in non-NCAP towns and cities. Owners will be required to purchase and register cleaner replacement vehicles within NCR.
The Centre will provide a range of incentives, including a 5 per cent interest subsidy on vehicle loans for five years, monthly fuel vouchers of up to ₹4,800 depending on vehicle category, and additional benefits for electric vehicle purchases.
Participating state governments will waive registration fees and offer motor vehicle tax concessions of up to 100 per cent for new vehicles and 50 per cent for used vehicles for a period of ten years. Pending liabilities on old vehicles participating in the scheme will also be waived.
In addition, participating automobile manufacturers will provide an 8 per cent discount on the ex-showroom price of eligible vehicles.
The scheme will be managed through a digital portal that will handle eligibility verification, incentive claims, fuel voucher distribution and monitoring of pollution reduction outcomes. Benefits provided by the Centre will continue for five years from the date of registration of the new vehicle.
Implementation and oversight will be carried out by an empowered committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, while district-level monitoring will be handled by District Collectors and District Magistrates in the participating states and Union Territory.