NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has approved the guidelines for the PARIVARTAN (Programme for Accelerated Renewal and Incentivisation of Vehicle Assets for Reducing Transport Air Pollution and Network Emissions) Scheme, aimed at replacing older, highly polluting trucks and buses operating in the National Capital Region (NCR) with cleaner Bharat Stage (BS)-VI-compliant or electric vehicles.
The scheme, with a total outlay of Rs 9,585 crore, including budgetary support of Rs 5,041 crore from the Centre, was approved by the Union Cabinet on June 3.
"The approval of the PARIVARTAN Guidelines is a landmark step for the NCR. As Chairman of the NCRPB, I am confident that this Scheme will meaningfully reduce vehicular pollution from ageing trucks and buses and contribute to a marked improvement in the region's overall Air Quality Index, bringing real relief to the crores of residents of Delhi-NCR," Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal said.
With the guidelines now in place, the scheme is ready to be operationalised. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) will implement the scheme, while the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) will provide funding, reflecting the government's integrated, region-wide approach to tackling vehicular air pollution across Delhi-NCR.
Officials said the PARIVARTAN Scheme carries forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of reducing vehicular pollution in Delhi-NCR by promoting cleaner mobility and creating a healthier living environment.
Building on earlier measures to curb the movement of polluting heavy vehicles through Delhi, the scheme marks another step towards cleaner air and a more sustainable NCR.
"The Scheme provides a comprehensive package of incentives, including Motor Vehicle Tax concessions, registration fee waivers, 5 percent interest subvention on vehicle loans, a minimum 8 percent Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) discount on eligible new vehicles, monthly fuel voucher support for eligible diesel and CNG replacement vehicles, and one-time financial assistance for electric replacement vehicles and Certificate of Deposit (CoD) trading," an official said.
In a step towards implementation, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and the National Capital Territory of Delhi have issued notifications granting a 10-year Motor Vehicle Tax concession and registration fee waiver on new vehicles purchased under the scheme.
On industry participation, 11 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), accounting for more than 95 percent of the commercial vehicle market, have signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with MoRTH to extend discounts to eligible beneficiaries under the scheme.
The scheme will be implemented through an integrated digital platform that will interface with VAHAN, V-Scrap, DigiELV, the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), participating lenders and fuel voucher systems to ensure transparent, efficient and end-to-end digital delivery of benefits.