State government urges phase-out of obsolete, polluting vehicles

28 Nov 2022 CW Team

While scrapping policies for cars and trucks are optional, they will be required for government organisations, including PSUs and autonomous entities. The suggested timetable for retiring the outdated government vehicles has been accepted, according to Nitin Gadkari, the union's minister of road transport. Additionally, he has been pushing for the modernization of the bus fleets operated by state government organisations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested in January 2021 that the road transport ministry implement the policy for government vehicles beginning in April 2022 because it is a low hanging fruit that can be done quickly. However, given that state transportation corporations operate buses, many states were opposed to expanding this program to include them.

The centre recently held discussions with states to expedite policy implementation and has asked all states to provide details on vehicles that have completed 15 years since registration. They added that, while the number of such vehicles may be small, government agencies can make a start. The state government has also been advised by the road transport ministry to phase out old and polluting vehicles.

“If you look at introduction of electric cars, the government took the lead to go for them and to create a demand for the industry. Similarly, in the case of scrapping of old and polluting vehicles, we have to take the load,” said a senior government functionary.

According to officials, several high-level meetings have taken place in recent weeks involving the PMO, Niti Aayog, and the finance ministry to push the implementation of the Vehicle Scrapping Policy. They also stated that options for incentivizing states to modernise their bus fleets and retire old ones are being considered.

All vehicles held by the federal and state governments, including buses operated by transportation companies, must be decommissioned starting in April 2023. The voluntary scrapping strategy has received only lukewarm support from owners of private vehicles, prompting the road transport ministry to announce a draft notification suggesting a new schedule. While scrapping policies for cars and trucks are optional, they will be required for government organisations, including PSUs and autonomous entities. The suggested timetable for retiring the outdated government vehicles has been accepted, according to Nitin Gadkari, the union's minister of road transport. Additionally, he has been pushing for the modernization of the bus fleets operated by state government organisations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested in January 2021 that the road transport ministry implement the policy for government vehicles beginning in April 2022 because it is a low hanging fruit that can be done quickly. However, given that state transportation corporations operate buses, many states were opposed to expanding this program to include them. The centre recently held discussions with states to expedite policy implementation and has asked all states to provide details on vehicles that have completed 15 years since registration. They added that, while the number of such vehicles may be small, government agencies can make a start. The state government has also been advised by the road transport ministry to phase out old and polluting vehicles. “If you look at introduction of electric cars, the government took the lead to go for them and to create a demand for the industry. Similarly, in the case of scrapping of old and polluting vehicles, we have to take the load,” said a senior government functionary. According to officials, several high-level meetings have taken place in recent weeks involving the PMO, Niti Aayog, and the finance ministry to push the implementation of the Vehicle Scrapping Policy. They also stated that options for incentivizing states to modernise their bus fleets and retire old ones are being considered. See also: UP transport dept invites applications for vehicle scrapping centres New vehicles registered against scrapped ones to get road tax rebate

Building Material

18 Sep 2025

Ambuja Cements Drags JSW Cement to Court Over ‘Kawach’ Brand

Ambuja Cements, part of the Adani Group, has filed a trademark infringement case against JSW Cement in the Delhi High Court, alleging that its rival copied the ‘Kawach’ brand with its new product ‘Jal Kavach’.Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora issued summons to JSW Cement and its subsidiary, JSW IP Holdings Pvt Ltd, while referring the matter to mediation. Hearings are scheduled to resume on October 15 if no settlement is reached.Ambuja, which registered the ‘Kawach’ trademark in 2019, argues that the term ‘Kavach’—meaning shield—is the distinctive feature of its branding. ..

Technology

18 Sep 2025

Bentley Systems Named Innovation Partner of the Year 2025 by Afcons

Bentley Systems, the infrastructure engineering software company, has been recognised by Afcons Infrastructure Limited as its Innovation Partner of the Year 2025 at the Innovation Partners 2025 Felicitation Ceremony in Mumbai. The award acknowledges Bentley’s contribution to Afcons’ engineering digitalisation journey through an enterprise agreement providing access to over 250 Bentley engineering software tools. This adoption has enabled Afcons to accelerate project delivery, standardise digital workflows, and strengthen innovation across its infrastructure portfolio. Among key i..

Infrastructure Urban

18 Sep 2025

SBI Sells 13.18% Stake in Yes Bank to Japan’s SMBC

State Bank of India (SBI) has completed the sale of a 13.18 per cent stake in Yes Bank to Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) for over Rs 8,889 crore. The divestment is part of a Rs 13,482 crore deal finalised in May with SMBC and seven private banks.Following the transaction, SBI’s shareholding in Yes Bank stands at 10.8 per cent. The deal, involving 4,134.4 million shares at Rs 21.50 each, is the largest cross-border transaction in the Indian banking sector.SBI Chairman C S Setty described the 2020 RBI-led rescue of Yes Bank as a pioneering public-private partnership, addi..