NEW DELHI: Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday said that the draft norms on fuel efficiency for heavy-duty vehicles will be released on April 1.
The minister, urging everyone to follow fuel conservation steps and contribute to saving of energy and fuel, added that the BS IV fuel will be available across the country from April this year and that the Ministry is already working on bringing in BS VI fuel by 2020.
“There are more than 15 crore two wheelers and more than three crore three wheelers currently on roads in India. By turning off vehicle engine at red light stops of traffic signal, about two per cent of fuel can be saved which translates to `14000 crore saving for the country,” Pradhan said.
Drawing a parallel to the Prime Minister Ujwala Yojana (PMUY), Pradhan also highlighted the importance of energy/fuel conservation for saving costs that could be used for other developmental projects. He also said that over 1.60 crore LPG connections have been given under PMUY since its launch in May 2016.
Pradhan underlined the need for energy security and conservation for future generation and for providing clean fuel for poor households. He also appealed to all citizens to adopt practices/behavioural changes leading to fuel saving such as LPG, PNG, CNG.