Delhi Cabinet Approves PARIVARTAN: Scrap Old Trucks, Buses for Cleaner Vehicles

The Delhi government has approved the central government's Programme for Accelerated Renewal and Incentivisation of Vehicle Assets for Reducing Transport Air Pollution and Network Emissions (PARIVARTAN) scheme, aimed at phasing out old, polluting trucks and buses and replacing them with Bharat Stage (BS)-VI compliant or electric vehicles, officials announced on Monday.

The scheme, cleared in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, is expected to benefit around 2.07 lakh truck and bus owners in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). The initiative seeks to curb vehicular pollution, a major contributor to the region's poor air quality.

Under PARIVARTAN, owners of BS-IV or older light goods vehicles (LGVs) who scrap their vehicles and purchase a new electric LGV will receive a 100% exemption on motor vehicle tax and registration fees for 10 years from the Delhi government. Additionally, they will be eligible for a 5% interest subvention on loans, an 8% discount from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and fuel vouchers or a one-time benefit equivalent to the discounted value of those vouchers.

For buses, the scheme mandates that old buses can only be replaced with BS-VI Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or electric buses, which will qualify for similar incentives as goods vehicles. The government has not specified the timeline for implementation but stated that the scheme is effective immediately upon approval.

The PARIVARTAN scheme aligns with the central government's vehicle scrappage policy, aiming to reduce emissions from older, more polluting vehicles. Delhi, one of the most polluted cities globally, has been implementing multiple measures to improve air quality, including promoting electric vehicles and restricting older vehicles from plying.