Question- Which of the following ministry has announced the ‘Vehicle Scrapping Policy’?
(a) Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
(b) Ministry of Finance
(c) Ministry of Home affairs
(d) Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Ans. (a)
Related facts-
- Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on 18 March 2021 announced the details for the country’s long-awaited vehicle scrapping policy in Parliament, explaining that the absence of a fitness certificate will mean an automatic cancellation of registration for commercial vehicles that turn 15, and that the registration of a private vehicle will be for 20 years, with renewal requiring proof of fitness.
- The policy, which also recommends the mandatory scrapping of all government vehicles over 15 years old, applies only to four-wheeled vehicles.
- India has 17 lakh medium and heavy commercial vehicles that are older than 15 years without any valid fitness certificate, 51 lakh light motor vehicles older than 20 years and 34 lakh light motor vehicles older than 15 years, according to the transport ministry. The average age of commercial vehicles is over 10 years and the private ones, 10-15 years.
- The purpose is to reduce pollution, create job opportunities, through the registered scrapping centres, and boost demand for new vehicles.
- “It is proposed that commercial vehicles be deregistered after 15 years in case of failure to get the fitness certificate. As a disincentive measure, increased fees for fitness certificate and fitness test may be applicable for commercial vehicles 15 year onwards from the date of initial registration.
- Gadkari said that the scrapping policy will lead to new investment of around Rs10,000 crore and create 35,000 jobs.
- “The scheme shall provide strong incentives to owners of old vehicles to scrap old and unfit vehicles through registered scrapping centres, which shall provide the owners with a scrapping certificate”.
By- Yogesh Pratap Singh