Government Offers More Incentives for Scrapping BS-II, Older Vehicles

29 Jan 2025 CW Team

In a bid to phase out high-polluting vehicles, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed doubling the rebate on Motor Vehicle tax to 50% for individuals purchasing new vehicles after scrapping BS-II or earlier emission standard vehicles. Currently, the rebate stands at 25% for personal vehicles and 15% for commercial vehicles.

According to the draft notification issued on January 24, the enhanced 50% rebate will apply to all vehicles, both personal and commercial, that comply with BS-I standards or were manufactured before the introduction of Bharat Stage (BS) norms. It also extends to BS-II medium and heavy vehicles used for private or transport purposes.

The BS-I emission norms were introduced in 2000, followed by BS-II in 2002. To address pollution concerns, the government launched the Voluntary Vehicle Modernisation Program (Vehicle Scrapping Policy), aiming to establish an ecosystem for retiring unfit vehicles through Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs) and Automated Testing Stations (ATSs).

As of now, over 60 RVSFs are operational across 17 states and Union Territories, with more than 75 ATSs in 12 states. Additional facilities are under development to expand the program’s reach and efficiency in reducing vehicular emissions nationwide.

(ET)

Building Material

11 Dec 2025

Suraj Estate Wins Euromoney Award for India’s Best Residential Developer

"Suraj Estate Developers Limited has received the Euromoney Real Estate Award 2025 for ‘India’s Best Residential Developer’, positioning the company among globally benchmarked leaders in the sector. The recognition reflects its four-decade legacy in delivering high-quality residential and redevelopment-led projects across South Central Mumbai. The Euromoney Real Estate Awards, presented by the London-based Euromoney magazine, are widely regarded as one of the most credible global assessments of performance in real estate, banking and finance. Winners are selected through surveys of inte..

Lloyds Metals, Tata Steel Sign MoU to Explore Strategic Collaboration

"Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Tata Steel Limited to evaluate potential areas of strategic cooperation across mining, logistics, pelletisation and steelmaking. The MoU was signed by B Prabhakaran, Managing Director of Lloyds Metals, and Mr T V Narendran, CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel. The partnership framework aims to leverage the natural operational synergies between both companies and assess opportunities in greenfield steel projects, iron ore mining, slurry pipeline infrastructure, pellet manufacturing in iron ore–ric..

IndiaAI, Gujarat Govt Host Regional Conclave Ahead of 2026 AI Summit

The IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, along with the Government of Gujarat and IIT Gandhinagar, convened a Regional Pre-Summit Event at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar. The initiative is part of the build-up to the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled for 15–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The conclave brought together senior policymakers, technology leaders, researchers and industry practitioners to examine how AI can accelerate economic, digital and social transformation across sectors. The programme focused on the overarching th..