India, July 13 -- The Delhi government has initiated the process to implement the Centre's 'Naya Safar Yojana', a scheme aimed at replacing old trucks and buses operating in Delhi-NCR with cleaner BS-VI and electric vehicles to curb vehicular pollution. Announcing the move on Monday, Transport Minister Dr. Pankaj Kumar Singh said the initiative would encourage voluntary replacement of BS-IV and older commercial vehicles through financial incentives, tax concessions and scrappage-linked benefits. Under the scheme, owners purchasing eligible new vehicles will receive a 100 per cent concession on Motor Vehicle Tax, while eligible used vehicles will be granted a 50 per cent tax concession for 10 years. Beneficiaries will also be eligible for waiver of registration fees and pending road tax and fitness penalty liabilities. These incentives will be in addition to benefits offered by the Central government, including interest subvention, fuel vouchers or one-time EV incentives, and discounts from participating manufacturers. Also Read - Vinod Nagar: Constable shoots wife dead on her birthday, flees "The implementation of the 'Naya Safar Yojana' represents a significant step towards replacing ageing, highly polluting commercial vehicles with cleaner BS-VI and electric alternatives. This initiative will accelerate Delhi's transition to cleaner commercial mobility, reduce vehicular pollution and improve the quality of life for citizens while supporting transport operators in modernising their fleets," Singh said. According to the government, nearly 2.07 lakh truck and bus owners across Delhi-NCR are expected to benefit from the scheme. In Delhi, all Light Goods Vehicles purchased under the scheme must be electric, while buses must be BS-VI CNG or electric. The scheme has a total outlay of Rs. 9,585 crore, of which the Central government will contribute Rs. 5,041 crore through the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB). It will be implemented through a digital Naya Safar Portal for eligibility verification, benefit disbursal and monitoring, and will remain open for eligible beneficiaries for two years.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.