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The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Modi, approved a landmark two-year scheme to cut air pollution and promote cleaner mobility in Delhi-NCR by replacing old trucks and buses.
Total outlay is Rs.9,585 crore — Rs.5,041 crore from the Centre plus an estimated Rs.1,601 crore in State tax concessions — funded through the NCRPB under MoHUA.
It incentivises owners of BS-IV or older trucks/buses registered in Delhi-NCR to switch to BS-VI (or stricter) or electric vehicles.
About 2.07 lakh owners (1.91 lakh trucks and 16,329 buses) across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh will benefit.
Implementation is fully digital and the scheme is monitored by an Empowered Committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary.
Reduce vehicular air pollution and promote cleaner mobility in Delhi-NCR by incentivising replacement of BS-IV or earlier trucks and buses with BS-VI/stricter or electric vehicles over a two-year enrolment window.
Key: Centre offers 5% interest subvention on loans for 5 years, monthly fuel vouchers up to Rs.4,800 (by vehicle category), and lump-sum EV/Certificate of Deposit benefits; States waive registration fees and grant up to 100% motor vehicle tax concession (50% for used vehicles) for 10 years; participating Auto OEMs give 8% discount on ex-showroom prices. BS-III or older must be scrapped at Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities.
Funds the scheme; statutory body for planned development of the NCR. Constituted under the NCR Planning Board Act, 1985 (static enrichment).
Apex monitoring body for the scheme; members include CEO NITI Aayog, Secretaries of MoHUA/MoRTH/MoPNG/DFS, Chief Secretaries of NCR states, with NCRPB Member Secretary as member-convenor.
BS norms are India's vehicle emission standards (modelled on European 'Euro' norms) that cap pollutants like particulate matter, CO and NOx. A higher BS number means cleaner emissions. India leapfrogged BS-V and rolled out BS-VI nationwide from April 1, 2020 (static enrichment). The scheme targets the dirtiest BS-IV and older vehicles for replacement.
Simple Analogy: Think of BS norms like a cleanliness rating for a vehicle's exhaust — BS-VI is the 'low-emission' top grade, while a Pre-BS truck is like one old smoke-belching engine doing the polluting work of about 14 clean ones.
Launched in 2019 by MoEFCC to cut particulate pollution; the scheme lets BS-IV vehicles be sold only in non-NCAP cities/towns (static enrichment).
Mandatory scrapping of BS-III and older vehicles links to India's Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities under the Voluntary Vehicle Fleet Modernisation Programme (static enrichment).
Statutory body (CAQM Act, 2021) for air quality in NCR and adjoining areas — the institutional backdrop to Delhi-NCR pollution action (static enrichment).
GS Paper 3 > Environment & Pollution; GS Paper 2 > Government Schemes & Federalism
General Awareness > Schemes & Current Affairs
General/Banking Awareness > Government Schemes & Subventions
General Awareness > Environment & Schemes
Delhi-NCR air pollution and clean-mobility schemes are recurring high-frequency themes across UPSC, SSC and Banking current-affairs sections.
A subsidy where the government bears part of the interest on a loan — here 5% for five years on loans for new vehicles.
National Capital Region Planning Board, a statutory body under MoHUA constituted by the NCR Planning Board Act, 1985, for coordinated NCR development.
Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility — an authorised centre where old, polluting vehicles are scientifically scrapped.
Cities not listed under the National Clean Air Programme; BS-IV vehicles may be sold there instead of being scrapped.