BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to scrap all government vehicles older than 15 years by March 31. After scrapping, all departments have been asked to bring it to the notice of the RTO concerned for the cancellation of registration of those vehicles.
The Odisha Motor Vehicles (Registration and Functions of Vehicle Scrapping Facility) Policy, 2022 mandates that all vehicles under different departments, PSUs, organisations, autonomous councils and ULBs registered 15 years back are to be scrapped through a registered vehicle scrapping facility (RVSF). According to data available from the Commerce and Transport department, the state has 16,369 government-owned vehicles up to 15 years old, 300 vehicles older than 15 years and below 20 years and 263 vehicles older than 20 years.
Principal Secretary of Commerce and Transport department Usha Padhee has urged all administrative departments, heads of departments, subordinate offices, PSUs, organisations, autonomous councils and ULBs to scrap all vehicles older than 15 years on or before March 31 in the RVSF centres established in the state.
The departments have been requested to contact joint commissioner (transport) Sanjaya Kumar Biswal, who is the nodal officer in this regard for the state, to facilitate the process. As per the amended Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, the certificate of registration of a vehicle owned by the state government, ULBs, state public sector undertakings and corporations established, owned or controlled by the government will expire after the lapse of 15 years from the date of the initial registration of the vehicle.
The certificate of registration of government vehicles, if already renewed, will be treated as cancelled on completion of 15 years from the date of initial registration. Meanwhile, the state government has decided to provide incentives to vehicle owners to encourage them to opt for electric vehicles in place of scrapped ones. The government will also waive taxes and fines imposed on vehicles older than 15 years for a year under the Orissa Motor Vehicle Taxation Act, 1975. The vehicle owners have to sell their old vehicles at registered vehicle scrapping centres to avail the benefits.