Pre-BS era vehicles should be scrapped: Road Transport Secretary

17 Sep 2024 CW Team

Anurag Jain, Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, advocated for the scrapping of pre-Bharat Stage (BS) era vehicles, particularly heavy commercial vehicles, due to concerns over pollution and safety. The Bharat Stage emission norms were first introduced in India in 2000 to regulate emissions.

Jain emphasised the severe pollution caused by vehicles manufactured before 2000, stating, "Pre-BS vehicles contribute to 15 times more pollution. Do you think such vehicles should be on the roads when pollution is causing so many problems in our country?" He also noted that older vehicles incur higher fuel and maintenance costs and lack modern safety features.

He highlighted the benefits of scrapping old vehicles, which include improved safety and fuel savings. "We have been working on incentivising scrapping... If you scrap an old vehicle, you will bring safety and save on fuel," he added, focusing on the need to target commercial heavy vehicles specifically.

In 2000, passenger cars and commercial vehicles in India adhered to the Euro I equivalent India 2000 norms, while two-wheelers met some of the world's strictest emission standards. Bharat Stage II norms, equivalent to Euro II, were implemented in major cities from 2001.

Jain also mentioned the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), clarifying that the recent 20-kilometer relaxation is part of an enabling provision to facilitate the GNSS tolling system. He stated, "What we have published in the law is an enabling framework for allowing GNSS... There has been no change in the law."

The government has previously indicated that it is developing a vehicle scrapping policy based on pollution levels rather than vehicle age. (Business Standard)

Infrastructure Urban

11 Mar 2026

India Expands Semiconductor Training To 500 Institutions

Under the Chips to Startups programme of the India Semiconductor Mission, the Union minister responsible for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and IT reported notable progress in talent development. He indicated that over the past four years substantial steps have been taken towards a 10-year target of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design. World-class EDA tools have been deployed in 315 academic institutions across the country to provide students with practical exposure to chip design. These EDA tools are supported by leading global firms and are accessible t..

Delhi Institutions Support India Semiconductor Mission

The Government of India has prioritised talent development through training, upskilling and workforce development under the Chips to Startups initiative of the India Semiconductor Mission, with officials noting progress in four years towards a 10-year target of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design. Electronic design automation tools provided by Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens, Renesas, Ansys and AMD have been deployed in 315 academic institutions, enabling students to gain practical chip design experience. Chips have been fabricated and tested at the Semiconductor Laboratory, Mohali, a..

NHA Announces Winners Of NHCX Hackathon At IIT Hyderabad

The National Health Authority (NHA) has concluded the NHCX Hackathon under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to stimulate innovation around the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX). The winning teams presented their solutions at the NHCX Innovation Meet held at IIT Hyderabad during a two-day event in March 2026 that also served as the hackathon grand finale. The hackathon itself ran from 22 to 28 February 2026 and aimed to accelerate paperless, transparent claims processing across India. The event was organised with a range of ecosystem partners, including the Insurance Regulatory a..